


To Tame a Queen

by MightyMunchlax



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Chloè redemption, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fluff, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, but she can't place why, chloe gets super embarrassed by everything, chloe needs a lot of help, chlonette, everyone else is just confused, i'm going to kill it, lots of fluffy moments in store, marinette finds it strangely adorable, not that much angst, only to T though nothing super explicit going on here, the love square will die in this one, tikki is inevitably shipping trash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-10-12 18:59:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 26,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10497483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MightyMunchlax/pseuds/MightyMunchlax
Summary: Chloe thought she had the world in the palm of her hands, but when the world discovers just how hideous she really is, she is forced to turn to her mortal enemy for help.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

            There were only a few times in Chloe Bourgeois’s life where she had to wonder how she’d sunk so low, and none more so than now as she knelt before her nemesis in the school locker room with her hands clasped before her, a begrudging pout on her lips. It was hard for her to come to terms with the fact that she needed help cleaning up her image, let alone the fact that she was asking Marinette Dupain-Cheng for that help. On any other day, she would have rather swallowed a cactus, but she was desperate. Marinette had gotten her into this mess, and she was going to get her out of it.

            What mess was that?

            It all started on a crisp spring day when her dear father got a call from the TV station wanting to do a piece on the life of the mayor and his family. Of course, Chloe was more than happy to oblige by letting the camera crew follow her around and show off her glamorous life. That is, she _was_ more than happy. See, things changed a bit when they followed her to school, her kingdom as she called it. A place where she commanded respect and got it, or so she thought.

            “This is College Francoise Dupont. It’s where I reign as queen. _Everyone_ here just adores me,” She held her arms out wide on the front steps.

            “Good morning, Chloe,” Sabrina greeted, attaching herself to Chloe’s side the moment she walked up.

            “Not now, Sabrina. I’m in the middle of becoming a star. Carry my bag in for me, and do _not_ drop it,” She tossed her purse at her friend and turned back to the camera. “Now, where was I?”

            “Ugh, what’s that brat up to this time?” Marinette grumbled to Alya from the base of the stairs as they glanced up at whatever extravagant shenanigans Chloe was pulling that day.

            “Some TV interview it looks like,” Alya tilted her head to the side a little as they headed up, careful to avoid getting in the shot. They’d never hear the end of it if they ruined Chloe’s perfect image.

            “Maybe she’ll be less of a pain today because she’ll be so busy trying to look impressive,” Marinette grunted, prompting her friend to snicker and elbow her playfully.

            “I practically run this school. Everyone looks up to me and comes to me for advice. It’s exhausting being the most popular and well-liked girl sometimes,” She pressed the back of her palm to her forehead and let out an enervated sigh, and Marinette suppressed an eye roll as she tucked her books away in her locker. “Ahem.”

            Marinette glanced up to see Chloe glaring at her with her arms folded over her chest. Great. Now what?

            “You’re in the way. This isn’t a show about you, so why don’t you scurry along?” She waved her hands in front of her in a typical “shoo” motion.

            “Uh, this is _my_ locker, Chloe. I have every right to stand here if I want,” She shot back, cocking a hip to the side.

            “The people of Paris aren’t interested in seeing your hideous fashion choices. They want to see _me._ So hurry up and get lost,” She said through clenched teeth, and Marinette actually did roll her eyes.

            “Whatever the queen wants,” She said mockingly, slamming her locker shut and following Alya out of the locker room.

            “Anyway- no, don’t point the camera at _them,_ point it at _me,_ ” She snapped her fingers at the camera man. “Ugh, I’m going to ask for a more competent camera guy if you can’t focus on what’s important.”

            Of course Chloe thought nothing of her behavior because it was all normal for her. Being the boss of everyone was just who she was in her day-to-day life, and never once had she ever considered that her actions could potentially ruin her reputation, and yet everything around her crumbled in a matter of days. Unbeknownst to her, the editors left in most of her interactions with her classmates, which was fine by her because it showed how much power she had over everyone. However, she did not expect that her father would call her down to his office a couple days after the show aired with a stern frown on his face and a magazine on his desk.

            “Princess, I need to have a word with you,” He started as she reclined back in her seat and scrolled through one of her favorite online boutique’s catalogs.

            “Of course, Daddykins,” She waved for him to continue without looking up.

            “It seems as though many people have not taken well to your behavior in that piece the TV station did the other day. Many people feel that you’re rather harsh to some of your classmates, and I’ve been getting a lot of concerned calls from parents,” He clapped the tips of his fingers together lightly as he broached the subject.

            “Ugh, what a bunch of crybabies,” She rolled her eyes.

            “Well, princess, some people feel that you bully their children,” He winced when she shot up.

            “I have never bullied anyone in my life!” She threw her arms out with an exasperated scoff. “I’m a natural born leader, just like you, Daddy.”

            “I watched the footage, and I think that there are certain times where you were…excessively insistent in your demands,” He bit his lip when her eyes narrowed into an icy glare.

            “Those wannabes are just jealous because I know how to take charge and their kids don’t. It’s not my fault I’m so much better than the rest of them,” She flopped back in the chair and folded her arms over her chest indignantly.

            “Yes, well, it seems as though Paris Weekly thinks otherwise about you, sweetheart,” He flipped around the cover of the latest edition of Paris’s most-read magazine, and Chloe felt the scream shoot up from her lungs.

            “ _Chloe Bourgeois. Paris Princess or Evil Queen? The inside scoop on Mayor Bourgeois’s precious little devil,_ ” Alya chuckled as she and Marinette gawked at the rather unflattering picture of Chloe yelling at an old man on the sidewalk on the cover.

            “Ouch,” Marinette winced, a smug grin stretched across her face. “How much damage control do you think she’s going to have to do for this scandal?”

            “Hopefully loads. How amazing would it be if she had to be nice to everyone for a while,” Alya could barely contain her smirk.

            “Come on. This is Chloe we’re talking about. She’s probably proud of this,” Marinette scoffed, and her best friend shrugged in agreement.

            “This is _slander_ ,” Chloe growled, clutching the magazine so tightly that the edges crumbled. “Daddy, shut them down!”

            “I am working on it as we speak, princess, but unfortunately there isn’t much I can do about this. It’s already been printed and has been seen by most of the city by now I’m sure,” He held up defensive hands when she slammed the magazine back onto his desk. “Bad press is just a consequence of being in the limelight, darling, and I assure you I’m taking the proper measures to ensure that this doesn’t happen again, but right now we need to do some damage control until we can iron everything out.”

            “Who do we have to pay to do that?” She sat back down and crossed her legs, plucking a nail file from her purse and going to work on her rough edges.

            “Well, the thing is, Chloe, it’s always more effective if you can prove their claims false,” He tapped his fingers nervously as she continued filing.

            “Well, then call them and tell them it’s false,” She ordered, and Mayor Bourgeois sighed.

            “I think it will be best if you perhaps changed your behavior for a while, sweetie,” He suggested cautiously.

            “Why? I’ve done nothing wrong,” She uncrossed her legs and sat forward.

            “I know you feel that way, darling, but there are a lot of angry people, and given my reputation as mayor, I think the only way to fix this mess is for you to change your attitude and be nicer to other people,” He clasped his hands together on his desk.

            “I am always nice to everyone! They should be honored just to be in my presence,” She turned her nose up and folded her arms over her chest.

            “It’s up to you what you’d like to do. If you continue on the way you are now, you can get used to press like this, but if you want to change, might I suggest starting by making peace with Miss Dupain-Cheng?” He winced when she shot up again.

            “Make peace with _her_? I’ve never done anything wrong to her! She’s the one always starting fights with _me,_ ” She growled.

            “Regardless, it might be in your best interest to befriend her. Your little feud has gone on long enough. Don’t you think it’s time to let bygones be bygones?” Chloe slumped back down with a pout, refusing to look at him for even suggesting that she be nice to Marinette.

            It was absolutely ridiculous! How could he think that she could ever be friends with that classless little brat? He must be getting senile in his old age because there was no way she was going to ask Marinette to be her friend. No amount of bad press was worth that! Tabloids were tabloids, and she was certain that it would all blow over soon enough.

            Though she soon realized just how wrong she was, or maybe she just wasn’t as patient as she thought because for the next several weeks, more anonymous “victims” stepped forward with stories about her that showed up in more and more magazines. Every time she so much as looked at the sky wrong, there was a new article printed about her, and she finally reached her breaking point one afternoon when she was heading into the locker room and bumped into none other than the girl who had a cocky smirk plastered on her face way too often these days.

            “Hey, watch it,” She growled, and Chloe felt her last nerve snap.

            “ _Me_ watch it? Why don’t _you_ watch it! I know you’re so thrilled with how my life is going right now because this is all your doing,” She spat, hands clenched into fists at her sides.

            “You’ve lost your mind if you think this is my fault,” Marinette grunted, folding her arms over her chest. “The only reason you’re in this mess is because you’re horrible to literally everyone, and the world finally realized.”

            “That is not true!” She shouted, stomping her foot. “This is all your fault, Marinette!”

            “Chloe-”

            “You did this to me!”

            “Chloe, stop-”

            “I hate you!”

            “Chloe Bourgeois on the attack again, folks. Will she ever learn to be nice to her classmates?” She spun around to find a news camera in her face, and she screamed, racing for the bathroom.

            “That’s enough! You have disrupted my institution enough as of late,” Mr. Damocles growled as he and Mr. Hapréle shooed them back through the front doors.

            Marinette cautiously stepped over to the bathroom and pressed her ear to the door. She could hear Chloe’s loud sobs through the wood and slowly stepped back a few paces. Part of her felt a little bad for her because she couldn’t catch a break, but on the other hand, she felt like it was time someone knocked her down a peg. Going in there would only make things worse, so Marinette crept back to her locker quietly, hoping to just avoid her for the rest of the day, but after sometime she was surprised when Chloe emerged and approached her, puffy-eyed and sniffling.

            “I need your help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I’m not a super huge fan of this ship, in fact I actually don’t like it for various reasons that will probably come out over the course of writing this, but it’s been growing in popularity lately and there’s been a lot of discourse on gay ships and ship hate in the fandom (which I never outwardly hate on any ship even if I don’t like it cause people can ship whatever), and so I came up with this idea randomly one morning while I was in the shower and immediately thought Chlonette, but then I tried to rationalize a way to make it Chlolya just because I really don’t like Chlonette, but much like I did just with Lila and Chloe in Lady du Coeur, I decided to take a step back and think about things a little. I generally try to keep an open mind, and if I don’t like something, I generally challenge myself to make me like it by developing it in a way that makes sense to me. So this fic is going to be my take on Chlonette, and it’s going to be a slow burn of sorts because you don’t just go from absolute mortal enemies to lovers quickly. Hopefully you enjoy the ride.
> 
> If you have no interest in Chloe x Marinette as a romantic couple, don’t bother commenting or continuing to read this story. It’s not for you. I’ve had way too much complaining on my Alyanette fic. If you don’t like it, don’t read it and shut up about it!
> 
> Anyway, let me know what you think. I’ll try and update this one about once a week, but I’m in school, so no major promises there. 
> 
> Follow me on tumblr (MightyMunchlax), though I’m probably going to create a separate ML account for all my fanfiction, so I’ll give that title when I set it up. Feel free to read any of my other works by clicking on my username. I’ve got several other love square fics and a short Chlolya one and an on-going Alyabug one if you prefer that. See you guys soon!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

            “You need my _what_?” Marinette cocked a surprised brow as Chloe hugged her arms to her chest and sniffled.

            “I said I need your help,” She repeated just so that Marinette was certain her ears were working correctly.

“Why me?” Marinette grunted, folding her arms over her chest and cocking a hip to the side. “Why not get Sabrina to help you?”

“Because Sabrina can’t function properly without me, she’d be no good,” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Look, are you gonna help me or not?”

“Help you with _what_ exactly?” Marinette broached cautiously.

“All this stupid bad press! It’s your fault everyone thinks I’m evil, so you have to help me fix it,” She ordered a little snappier than she intended.

“I’m sorry. I fail to see how _your_ snotty behavior is my fault,” Marinette snorted, slamming her locker shut. “You got yourself into this all on your own. Get yourself out of it.”

With that she stalked from the room, leaving Chloe dejectedly behind. _Her_ fault? Please. It was about time someone knocked Chloe off her throne, and she was relieved with how much quieter her life had become since Chloe got outed for the evil witch she was. There was no way she was going to help her just so she could go back to her old ways in a few months when the cameras finally turned away from her. Nope. It was not her job, and no one could convince her otherwise.

“M, wait up!” Alya called as she hurried down the stairs. “Guess who just overheard Adrien and Nino making plans to see a movie Saturday?”

“Really?” Marinette perked up. “I’m totally free Saturday!”

“Then it’s settled,” Alya winked. “I’ll pick Nino’s brain for the time.”

“You’re the best!” Marinette wrapped her arms around her friend’s shoulders as they walked. “So, in other news, you’ll never guess what just happened to me.”

“What?”

“Chloe and I kind of had a run in, and she got caught again, so she ran to the bathroom crying, but then a few minutes later she came out, and – get this – asked me for help,” Marinette snickered as Alya’s eyebrows shot to her hairline.

“Shut up!” She smirked. “Really?”

“Yeah, she seems pretty desperate,” Marinette clutched the straps on her backpack and stared down at her feet. “I almost feel a little bad for her.”

“She really is desperate if she’s coming to you for help. It is a little sad, you’re right, but it was bound to happen sooner or later,” Alya said pointedly.

“Yeah,” Marinette pursed her lips.

“Anyway, I’m off to work on our history project with Mylene and Alix. I’ll catch you later, girl,” Her friend waved before veering off up the sidewalk.

“I think you’re missing a very big opportunity here,” Tikki peaked up from Marinette’s collar.

“What do you mean, Tikki?” Marinette tilted her head to the side a little as she waited for the crosswalk to change.

“The girl who’s been mean to you since you were little is asking you for help. If you help her, it might alleviate some of the tension between you two,” She explained as the light changed and Marinette paced across the street to her house.

“Or Chloe will just use me to get what she wants and then everything will go back to normal,” Marinette countered. “Trust me, Tikki. I’ve known her for a long time, and I know how she operates.”

“I wouldn’t close that door entirely, Marinette. You’d be surprised how people can change with a little kindness. Don’t you think helping her is the right thing to do, even if you don’t get along?” Tikki asked once they made it to the safety of her room.

“Chloe has terrorized a million other people. Why is it my job to fix her mess?” Marinette scoffed, setting her bag down on her desk.

“Because you have the most potential to make change happen, Marinette, and Chloe realizes that,” Tikki pointed out.

“I do not,” Marinette grunted, flopping down into her chair grumpily.

“You beat her out as class representative, most of the school respects you, and not to mention, you became Ladybug when you thought you couldn’t,” Tikki gave her a look, and Marinette slumped down further.

“Okay, I see your point, but I still don’t like the idea of helping her,” She grumbled sourly.

“Maybe if you help her, you can change her for the better,” Tikki suggested, seeing Marinette’s contemplative frown.

“I don’t even know where to begin reforming Chloe. That girl has a mountain of ugly history sitting under her,” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger.

“It wouldn’t hurt to try, Marinette. Maybe you two can put this feud behind you finally,” Tikki gave her a pleading look, and Marinette sighed.

“I hate it when you convince me to do stuff,” Marinette groaned, spinning around and standing up.

There were a number of times in her life where Marinette thought she was losing her mind. Meeting a magical ladybug fairy that gave her superpowers was one time; walking up to the Grand Paris hotel with the intention of offering her willing, though begrudging, assistance to her sworn mortal enemy was another. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe she and Chloe could actually become friends. She cringed a little at the thought as she pressed the button on the elevator that would bring her to Chloe’s floor. Maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but maybe she could make a difference for Chloe. Set her on a more righteous path. Sometimes she hated having to be the hero.

“What do _you_ want?” Chloe growled when she answered the door. Her eyes were still a little puffy, and she’d taken off the remainder of her makeup.

“I want to help,” She sighed, leaning against the doorframe.

“Really?” Chloe cocked a brow. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” She shrugged. “So do you want my help or not? Hurry up and decide before I change my mind.”

“I don’t _want_ your help,” Chloe grunted. “But I do need it.”

“Fine. So where do we start?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins!  
> I’m going to try to get this one update at least once a week. Hopefully Mondays, but the next few weeks will be a little iffy on that while I finish up this semester. Once I get into summer I’ll be able to update on a more regular schedule since I won’t be taking any classes.  
> Since this is Chlonette, does that make Tikki shipping trash?  
> Hopefully you’re enjoying this so far! Let me know what you think in the comments! Be sure to follow me on tumblr, I have a new ML blog (purrincess-chat) so be sure to follow me there for updates on how writing is going as well as other Miraculous news and art and stuff. See you guys soon with the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Chloe slinked into school the next day, doing her best to avoid anyone as she quickly paced toward the locker room. She took a deep breath as she shoved items into her locker, glancing nervously at Marinette’s locker up the row. It seemed as though Marinette was late as usual which was extremely relieving because she wasn’t sure she was ready for what they’d decided. Her stomach was tied in knots, and her spine was stiff as a board. She wasn’t sure she could do this.

            “So, ready to get started?” Marinette’s voice nearly made her jump out of her skin.

“No,” She grumbled once she managed to calm her heart rate a little.

“Well, you have to start somewhere. The sooner you get going, the sooner you can dig yourself out of this media mud-hole you’ve dug,” Marinette said pointedly. “Did you review the points I gave you last night?”

“I did, and I’m not entirely sure I’m going to be able to pull it off,” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I mean, why would I compliment Myléne’s ugly sweater?”

“Because it will make you look better,” Marinette rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, but I’m not going to mean anything you told me to say,” She whined, folding her arms over her chest with a pout.

“You don’t have to mean it. Just convince everyone that you mean it. Think of it like acting,” Marinette sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“No one’s that good of an actor!” Chloe groaned, and Marinette shrugged and paced to her own locker. “What, no smart come back?”

“Look, I’m only going to help you if you’re willing to be helped. If you make me drag you into everything, I’m going to give up,” She stated as she slid her books onto the shelf in her locker.

“You can’t give up! You _have_ to help me!” Chloe stomped her foot demandingly.

“I really don’t,” Marinette grunted curtly. “I’m choosing to help you, and if you don’t get a better attitude about it, you can figure it out on your own.”

“No!” Chloe gasped.

“Then suck it up, and say nice things to people,” Marinette retorted with a smug smirk, and Chloe pursed her lips sourly. “Suit yourself.”

“I’m sorry, don’t go,” Chloe sank to her knees and wrapped her arms around Marinette’s legs. “Please! I don’t know how to do this on my own; please help me.”

Marinette cocked a surprised brow as Chloe stared up at her pleadingly, desperation evident in her eyes. She sighed, shoulders slumping, and grumbled something under her breath.

“Fine,” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “But don’t push me.”

“I’m not making any promises,” Chloe stated, standing up quickly once she realized her position and clearing her throat. “If you ever tell anyone I did that, I will end you.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Marinette made a face and led the way out of the locker room. “Alright, there’s Rose over there talking to Nino. Go tell her you like her new shoes.”

“But they’re hideous,” Chloe’s nose wrinkled in disgust, so Marinette gave her a stern look. “Ugh, fine. But you’re coming with me.”

“I’ve got your back,” Marinette replied sarcastically, and Chloe bit her tongue as they paced toward their classmates.

As they approached Nino and Rose ended their conversation and gave the girls apprehensive looks. Marinette smiled and waved which rewarded her with nervous nods as their eyes fixated on Chloe. She stood motionless for a moment before Marinette elbowed her, and her lips formed a tight line. Marinette rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Hey, guys, what’s up?” She started effortlessly, and Chloe shifted uncomfortably as they both ripped their gaze from her to glance at Marinette briefly.

“Uh, not much,” Nino shrugged stiffly.

“Yeah, we were just chatting,” Rose stated, rocking on her heels slightly as she eyed Chloe fearfully. It was then that Marinette noticed that Chloe was glaring her down. This was going to be harder than she thought.

“Chloe, do you have anything to say to Rose?” Marinette prompted, cocking a warning brow.

“I…like…” Chloe let out a breath and turned her head to the side stubbornly before blurting quickly, “Ilikeyourshoes.”

And with that, she grabbed Marinette’s wrist and dragged her away swiftly, retreating to the deserted space under the stairwell. For a few moments, she refused to look Marinette in the eye, drumming her fingers on her arms before finally sighing.

“That was the most pathetic thing I think I’ve ever seen in my life,” Marinette suppressed a snicker.

“Shut up! You don’t know what this is like for me,” She huffed, cheeks flushing pink.

“Oh, yeah, complimenting other people is _so_ hard,” Marinette laughed, clutching her gut.

“You saw how they were looking at me! No one trusts me,” She curled into a ball and buried her face in her lap.

“No offence, but why should they?” Marinette said pointedly. “All you ever do is terrorize them.”

“This is why you have to help me. You’re a goody-two-shoes. Everyone likes you,” Her voice was muffled by her legs, and Marinette stopped short.

“I’m sorry. What did you say? I don’t think I quite understood you,” She leaned down a little and cupped a hand to her ear.

“I said everyone likes you,” Chloe looked up a little, sitting back with a defeated sigh. “Why do you think I hate you so much?”

“Well, you hate everyone, don’t you?” Marinette crouched beside her and tilted her head to the side.

“Yeah, but I hate you especially,” Chloe stated nonchalantly, picking at the buckle on her shoe.

“Wow, thank you,” Marinette’s eyebrows furrowed and her mouth formed a tight line.

“Whatever. Don’t pretend you didn’t know,” She folded her arms over her chest. “I hate you the most because people love you the most. It’s disgusting how well you get along with everyone.”

“Is that why you came to me for help?” Marinette gave her a knowing smirk, and Chloe’s cheeks faded to a deeper red.

“Maybe,” She mumbled before standing up. “We’re going to be late for class.”

Marinette watched her walk away with an amused grin, folding her arms over her chest as Chloe held her head low. It was strange seeing her like this, and Marinette knew that reforming her was going to be a ride. Maybe Tikki was right, and Chloe would change for the better. Maybe after this they could bury their weapons of war and learn to be friends. She shuddered at the thought.

Okay, maybe not friends, but at least maybe they could learn to stop hating each other. She was already impressed with the progress she’d made. After all, she’d gotten Chloe to say something nice to someone, kind of, so as she headed up the stairs to join Chloe in class, she couldn’t help the smile on her face which only made Chloe hide her face more when she entered, and Marinette knew one thing was certain: This was going to be a lot of fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens.  
> There’s something innately pure about embarrassed Chloe. Which you’re going to see a lot of in this fic. Just wait to see what she has planned next ;)  
> I’m not sure how many chapters this will have. I’m thinking maybe 15 or so max, but who knows. Could be more could be less. I’ll have to see how planning goes. It’s gonna be a slow burn, and I think it will end when they ultimately get together. I do kind of have the ending planned at least and some stuff in the middle.  
> Feel free to click on my name and read any of my other works. Things are going to be a bit slow as I finish out this semester, but once my summer starts I’ll be able to upload a lot more! I have a lot planned including a College AU that I’ve already started writing!  
> Also check out my tumblr, I have a new completely ML sideblog (purrincess-chat), so check there for updates on when I’ll be uploading, delays, and my commentary on certain stories and all things Miraculous related.  
> See you guys next week with another update! Be sure to tell me what you thought of this one in the comments!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“Girl, please tell me you’re not actually helping Chloe,” Alya demanded, giving her friend a wary look.

“I’m not happy about it either, but my conscience is a little too persuasive,” Marinette sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose and leaning back on the bench.

“You have lost your mind if you think she’s going to change,” Her friend said pointedly, crossing her arms over her chest. “I mean, she’s an actual she-demon.”

“No one knows that more than me,” Marinette reminded her. “Look, I’m not entirely confident that she’ll make any significant improvements, but I can at least say I tried.”

“I’m just worried about you getting burned, M. It wouldn’t be unlike her to use you to get what she wants.” Alya pursed her lips at Marinette’s fallen expression and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I’m just looking out for you.”

“Thanks.” She smiled up at her. “And trust me, I’m fully prepared for that. As soon as the media is off her trail, she’s going to drop me before you can say manicure.”

“Must be nice to be so rich you don’t actually have to fix your problems,” Alya sighed bitterly, and Marinette nodded in agreeance.

“Marinette!” The she-devil in question shouted across the courtyard.

“That’s my cue,” She groaned, standing up. “I’ll see you later, Alya.”

“Good luck!” Her friend offered up a sympathetic smile as she paced reluctantly to the blonde heiress at the base of the stairs.

“What?” She asked dryly once she made it over.

“I don’t think your plan is working. You need to think of something else,” She ordered, and Marinette suppressed the urge to round-house kick her in the teeth.

“You need to drop some of your ego, Chloe. Be a little more humble,” She explained.

“I’m trying! But I tried to say something nice to Kim during gym class, and he asked me if I got hit too hard during dodgeball,” She whined, glaring at her shoes with a pout.

“Well, you did break his heart recently, and you’ve been terrorizing everyone basically since you met them. They’re not just going to instantly forgive you for saying one nice thing to them,” Marinette pointed out. “You have to convince them you’re really reforming.”

“How do I do that?” She asked as her limo pulled up to the school. She grabbed Marinette’s wrist and dragged her inside, much to Mari’s annoyance.

“Look, a lot of people are still really hurt by what you’ve done to them, so you can’t really blame them for harboring a grudge. Why don’t you try apologizing to everyone?” Marinette suggested as they drove to the Grand Paris.

“Why should I have to apologize? I’ve never done anything wrong in my life,” She scoffed, and Marinette felt her patience wearing thin.

“Because they’re upset! If you had been the perfect little angel you think you are from the beginning, we wouldn’t be in this situation! You’ve done nothing but tear them down for years, and many of them have low self-esteem to begin with, so, yes, they’re a little skeptical that the school mean-girl is paying them half-hearted compliments. It’s a novel concept for most people, and it’s not something that’s going to instantly resolve itself. You’re going to have to work at this _for a long time_ ,” She snapped while Chloe looked on with wide eyes. When she was finished, Marinette shifted her shoulders back to relieve the tension in them and leaned back against the seat.

They sat in silence for a long time which Marinette welcomed. Too much exposure to Chloe and her whiny voice tended to be grating after a while, and it gave her a headache. When they arrived at the hotel, Marinette glanced at Chloe who was sniffling quietly and sighed.

“I didn’t mean to yell at you, I’m sorry,” She said softly. “But you have to realize how you affect people if you want to fix this.”

“I know, but it’s so hard!” She cried, falling forward into Marinette’s lap where she sobbed pathetically. Marinette’s hand hovered over her head as she debated whether to try and comfort her or push her off. She better get an award or diplomatic immunity or something after putting up with this.

“It’s going to be hard for a while, Chloe. You can’t control other people,” She said gently, patting her hair awkwardly.

“Why not?” She squeaked, and Marinette suppressed a smile.

“Because they have free will?” She chuckled, and Chloe sat up.

“Who gave them that?” She huffed, a playful smile spreading across her lips.

“You know, if you had been nice from the beginning, you and I might have been friends,” Marinette said, crossing her arms over her chest, and Chloe turned away stubbornly.

“Ugh, why would I want that?” She joked, crawling out of the limo.

“I know. What good are friends?” Marinette smirked, following her into the lobby, and the two girls giggled as they piled into the elevator.

Was she actually getting along with Chloe Bourgeois? Were they making jokes and actually laughing together? Maybe Alya was right. She needed to get her brain scanned, or maybe the world was finally ending. There was no other explanation for why she was being less horrible.

“If I agree to apologize to everyone, will you help me?” Chloe asked after a while, glancing at Marinette out of the corner of her eye.

“Of course.” Marinette smiled. “It’s what I’m here for.”

The next day was probably one of the most brutal in all of Chloe’s life, more so than the time her hairdresser cut her bangs too short. She felt wrong like her stomach was doing somersaults in her gut, and her palms were sweaty and shaky. There was no way she could go through with this, obviously she was sick and needed to stay home. She dialed Marinette’s number quickly, and after a few rings, a sleepy voice muttered a groggy “Hello?” from the other side.

“I don’t think I can do this. I think I’m sick. My stomach has been churning all morning, and I think I must be feverish because I can’t stop sweating.” She chewed her thumbnail as she paced back and forth across her room.

“Are you nervous?” Marinette yawned from her end.

“Me? Nervous? Absolutely not,” She swore, but Marinette could tell otherwise by the tell-tale quiver in her voice.

“You’ll be fine. Just practice saying I’m sorry because you’re going to be saying it a lot today,” Chloe could hear the smirk in her voice, and she let out a soft groan before hanging up.

She spent the rest of the morning taking deep breaths and meditating like her yoga instructor had taught her, but when they arrived at the school all of her ailments came flooding back. With each step toward the front doors, she was increasingly certain that she was going to throw up. Where was Marinette? She wasn’t there yet!

“Good morning, Chloe!” Sabrina nearly scared her out of her designer jacket. “I did your maths homework.”

“Thanks,” She said, breathing a sigh of relief. Sabrina eyed her curiously for a moment, and Chloe cocked a brow. “What?”

“Nothing!” She squeaked, hiding behind the folder in her hands. “It’s just, well, you’ve never thanked me before.”

“Of course I have.” Chloe’s eyebrows furrowed, and Sabrina shifted.

“You’re right. Of course you have. My mistake,” Sabrina laughed nervously, and Chloe watched the way she shrank under her gaze.

“Hey, you ready to start?” Marinette called as she descended the stairs.

“Start what?” Sabrina asked, eyes narrowing in on Marinette.

“I told you, Marinette is helping me with my media problem,” Chloe explained patronizingly.

“Oh, right. I forgot. I’m sorry!” Sabrina bowed, and Marinette gave Chloe a prompting look.

“Actually, Sabrina…” Chloe glanced nervously at Marinette who nodded encouragingly. “I’m…s-sorrrr-y.” Marinette rolled her eyes, but she continued, “I don’t appreciate all of the things you do for me, and I should.”

“It’s okay, Chloe! I don’t mind,” Sabrina insisted, but Chloe frowned.

“It’s not okay.” She shook her head. “I should be more grateful.”

“Oh…” Sabrina straightened a little, a small smile creeping over her lips. “Well, you’re welcome then.”

Chloe felt her nerves ebbing a little as Sabrina trotted off to class with her bag. That wasn’t so hard. Maybe she could do this after all, but at the sound of Marinette’s slow applause behind her, she felt a small sliver snake its way back up her spine. Turning slowly, she awaited Marinette’s undoubtedly snide remarks.

“Well?” She started, a defensive edge evident in her tone.

“Well?” Marinette cocked a confused brow.

“Aren’t you going to say anything about that?” Chloe asked, averting her gaze.

“It was good practice,” Marinette admitted with a shrug. “But don’t expect all of them to go that smoothly. Sabrina is your best friend and worships the ground you walk on, but everyone else…”

“What are you saying?” Chloe’s eyebrows furrowed, and Marinette glanced around briefly.

“Hey, Alix,” She called as the small girl headed passed them. “Can you come here for a sec?”

“Hey, Marinette, what’s up?” Alix paused and approached cautiously, eyes trained on Chloe.

“Chloe has something she’d like to say,” Marinette turned to her and waved her hand for her to speak. Alix eyed her skeptically, shifting a little as Chloe cleared her throat.

“It has come to my attention that I may have said and done somethings in the past that have upset you, and I would like to…apologize,” She stated calmly, clasping her arms behind her back.

“Are you serious?” Alix glanced between Marinette and Chloe, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Yes,” She replied, glancing at Marinette who had an expression Chloe couldn’t read. It was as if she were waiting for something to happen. “I hope you can forgive me for my actions.”

“Forgive you?” Alix snorted. “As if.”

“What?” Chloe’s eyes widened, and she felt her stomach sink to her feet. “But-”

“You think after everything you’ve done to me that I’m just going to forgive you just because you’re sorry _now_? Two years ago, I planned a birthday party and invited everyone in the class then you bought everyone tickets to the amusement park so that no one would show up!” Alix’s gaze pierced Chloe to her core, and she tugged in her sweater to hide how her hands shook. She’d forgotten all about that.

“I-I’m sorry,” She whimpered, but Alix paid her no mind.

“Nice try, witch.” Alix shook her head and stormed off leaving Chloe dumbstruck.

“So,” Marinette said, turning to her. “Ready to get started?”

Chloe gulped down the lump that had formed in her throat, clutching the ends of her sweater anxiously as they found Juleka and Rose, Ivan and Mylene, Nathanaël, Kim and Max. Some of them were a little softer than others, but each classmate had stories just like Alix. Stories about her. She thought she wanted to hide under a rock when news reporters were harassing her with questions, but never before had she ever wanted to just disappear.

By the end of the day, she was absolutely mortified beyond words, and she finally understood the look that Marinette wore all day. She was showing Chloe the extent of her sins and forcing her to finally realize that the reality she had painted herself was nothing more than a glowing illusion. No one liked her. No one even respected her. Except maybe Sabrina, but everyone else hated her guts.

“Hey, you did really well today,” Marinette murmured, resting a hand on Chloe’s shoulder after school. Her hands hadn’t stopped shaking all day, and her chest felt tight. “I mean, you suffered through almost everyone in class, so that’s a good start.”

“Ya know, I never really thought about how other people felt before,” She whispered hoarsely. “How my actions made them feel.” She felt her eyes watering as her limo pulled up to the curb, and she shrugged Marinette’s hand off. “I think I need to be alone for a while.”

“Okay,” Marinette relented, and she paced toward the car with quick strides.

Once safely inside, she fell back into the seat with a deep sigh, heart pounding in her chest. She’d never felt like this before, so filled with what she could only figure was what Marinette referred to as regret. Like she wished she’d never said anything to anyone. As tears began to slide down her face, her breath hitched in her throat, and her face fell into her hands. She had to wonder for the first time in her life how she’d allowed herself to fall so far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little heavier because it’s necessary for Chloe to realize all of the hurt she puts others through, but I promise it’s all up from here, mostly.  
> Sorry this one took a bit longer, I’ve got one week of classes left then finals, so it’s a bit hectic in my life right now, so next week’s chapter may be delayed as well. Also because I’m participating in the ML Rare Pair Flash Exchange on AO3, so if you’re on tumblr follow my main blog (MightyMunchlax) for that. The reveal will be Saturday April 29th so look forward to it! I’m still trying to decide which pair I want to write about based on who I was matched with, but I’ll figure it out!  
> Be sure to click on my username to check out my other works. I posted the first chapter of my College AU a few days ago, so go check it out and tell me what you think!  
> Leave me a comment down below about what you thought of this chapter and follow me on my ML side blog on tumblr (purrincess-chat) for updates on chapters, sneak peaks, and other Miraculous Ladybug nonsense.   
> Also! I will be reblogging a survey on my tumblr that someone sent me that I think you all should take! This person is writing a dissertation on queer representation in fanfiction, and they’ve made a questionnaire that they want people to take to help them out, so if you could take it that would be super helpful to them! They need it filled out by the 27th, so go to either of my tumblr blogs (purrincess-chat or MighyMunchlax) and look for a post titled “Important!”


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Being the daughter of the mayor came with many perks that Chloe usually, under normal circumstances, took advantage of, but since her news scandal, certain perks were seeming a lot less…perk-y. The diplomats’ dinner party was only a couple days away, and as much as she used to look forward to these occasions, her stomach was a pit of nerves. A hefty crew of reporters was always present outside, and a select few always managed to weasel their way into the party. It only made Chloe hate the whole situation even more. She used to dominate the spotlight, whether the reporters wanted her to or not, but now she was doing everything in her power to avoid it.

She supposed she could pretend to be sick, but the food was always exquisite, and Chloe loved to dress up. But the ever-present churn in her stomach made it a little hard to get into the mood to party. There was no way she could survive the night on her own. Her father would be busy hamming up members of parliament and dealing with his own press, so she would really be on her own. Unless…Unless someone were to accompany her and serve as her press barrier…

She spotted a set of black pig tails walking down the stairs and pursed her lips in thought. They hadn’t spoken since the apologacalypse a few days prior mostly because Chloe had no idea what to say. Marinette had always seen her for what she was, and it was horribly embarrassing to admit that she’d been right. Still, Marinette was her only option, and she needed a lot of help, as much as she hated to admit.

“Shall we head to the boutique, mademoiselle?” Her driver asked as Chloe drummed her fingers on her lap.

“We need to pick up my friend first. The one with the pigtails,” She ordered after a moment while Marinette was stuck at the crosswalk.

“Of course.” He nodded, slowing to a stop in front of the girl in question. Chloe rolled down her window, and Marinette cocked a curious brow.

“Get in, loser. We’re going shopping,” She ordered, and Marinette rolled her eyes but climbed in anyways.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” She inquired, buckling her seat belt.

“I’ve got a dinner party to attend in a couple days, and you’re coming with me,” Chloe responded, averting her gaze.

“Oh, am I? How nice of you to ask,” Marinette remarked with a grunt.

“You’re welcome?” Chloe gave her a look, but Marinette was unimpressed. “There’s going to be a lot of press there.”

“Ah.” Marinette nodded in understanding.

“Anyway, you’ll have to wear something nice, so we’re going to buy dresses. I can’t have you embarrassing me with your wardrobe,” Chloe continued.

“I’d hate to do that.” Marinette rolled her eyes as the limo slowed to a stop.

“Perfect. Then we’re on the same page,” Chloe replied, ignoring her clear lack of interest as she crawled out. “Try not to drool too much on the merchandise. This is all name-brand.”

“I’ll do my best to contain myself,” Marinette vowed, following Chloe inside.

“Good afternoon, Chloe,” Several workers called when they entered and before Marinette could orient herself, they were surrounded.

“We just got a new shipment in, and you have _got_ to see them.”

“I have a hat that will look stunning on you.”

“These pumps are all the rage right now. A must.”

“Bring them all to the dressing room,” Chloe ordered without missing a beat, waving Marinette on. “Feel free to look around.”

“Try the blue one first. It will go great with your skin tone.”

“What about this handbag?”

Marinette let out a sigh as Chloe disappeared behind a curtain and glanced around hesitantly. Everything in there was gorgeous, but she highly doubted she could afford even one shoe with a year’s worth of her babysitting money. She didn’t really want to go to this dinner party with Chloe anyways, so she positioned herself outside the dressing area with several of the other employees while Chloe changed.

“What do you think?” She asked, pulling back the curtain and stepping out in a floor-length, mermaid-style blue number. The dress was gorgeous, but Marinette wasn’t sure it was right for Chloe.

“Gorgeous, darling.”

“Trés magnifique.”

“It’s alright.” All heads whipped around to face Marinette incredulously. “It’s beautiful, but I don’t think it suits you.”

“Don’t listen to her! You look marvelous, honey.”

“No, I don’t think I like it either,” Chloe admitted, twisting around to examine it at different angles. “Bring me another one.”

“Of course. What were we thinking? It’s not you at all, dear. Don’t worry, the next one will be perfect.”

This same process went on for half an hour as Chloe burned through at least a dozen dresses, rejecting each of them after disapproving shrugs from Marinette. Not that Chloe valued her opinion or anything, just that she wasn’t impressed enough. She needed something jaw-dropping that demanded attention.

“Here,” Marinette said, shoving a fit and flare dress with a yellow asymmetrical skirt and white bodice through the curtain.

“Now we’re talking.” Chloe grinned once she stepped out, twirling around on the pedestal. “Took you guys long enough.”

“You’re welcome,” Marinette sang with a smirk, and Chloe turned away from the mirror to face her.

“You picked this?” She cocked a brow, and Marinette nodded.

“You look good in yellow,” She admitted, immediately backpedaling as soon as she realized. “I mean, it goes with your skin. Whatever.”

“You look absolutely fabulous.”

“Truly spectacular.”

“I know,” Chloe cut them off, turning around swiftly causing her hair to whip around, hoping to hide her blush. “I always look amazing, but I’ll need some shoes and accessories to go with it.”

“Of course!” Her team scurried off, and Chloe turned back to Marinette and folded her arms over her chest.

“Aren’t you going to try something on?” She asked.

“Um, yeah, so I can’t afford anything in this store. Not even if I sold everything I owned,” Marinette replied pointedly, and Chloe pursed her lips.

“I’ll spot you this time,” She sighed finally as if it were a huge inconvenience. “Go pick something.”

“Okay,” Marinette grumbled before slinking away as Chloe’s entourage reappeared with necklaces and pumps.

After a while when the cashier was busy bagging up Chloe’s purchases, she heard the curtain shift in the dressing area, and Marinette stepped out in a dark blue gown with an pensive expression. Chloe admired how the dark color popped against her pale skin, shaking herself once she realized she was gawking like an animal. She didn’t look _that_ pretty. Besides, the cut of the dress was all wrong for her, so she supposed it was time to intervene.

“Let me help you,” She offered, and Marinette glanced back with a hesitant frown. “Oh, don’t give me that look. I’m not going to have you looking ridiculous if you’re going as my date.”

“Is that what this is?” Marinette smirked, and Chloe felt her cheeks flush as she stomped away quickly.

“It’s just an expression. Don’t get your hopes up,” She called while flipping through the rack.

“Trust me. My hopes are very low on that front,” Marinette said when Chloe approached with a soft pink gown.

“Good.” She held it out with a curt nod, and Marinette headed back into the dressing room.

When she reemerged a few minutes later, Chloe admired her work with a small smile. The dress was light and airy, just barely kissing her knees at its full length; the bodice was cinched just under the bust with a belt of sparkling cubic zirconium, held up by soft tulle around the collar. It was right up Marinette’s alley, and Chloe had to admit it made even her look good. She beamed a little at her good taste while Marinette admired it in the mirror.

“So, what do you think?”

“It’s nice,” Marinette murmured quietly, and Chloe bent forward and cupped a hand to her ear.

“What was that?”

“I said it’s nice,” She repeated through clenched teeth, and Chloe straightened up triumphantly.

“I know I have such good taste,” Chloe boasted, flipping her hair. When Marinette shifted nervously, she felt her cheeks flush a little, and she cleared her throat. “If you ever tell anyone I said this, I’ll deny it, but you look… _really_ pretty, Marinette.”

For a moment she looked taken aback by the compliment, and Chloe turned around as her cheeks darkened. It was probably the first nice thing she’d ever said to Marinette, and she was horribly embarrassed to admit it. When she glanced back in one of the mirrors, she noticed a small smile on Marinette’s lips that made her neck burn.

“Thanks, Chloe. I think you’re really pretty too,” She replied sweetly, and Chloe rubbed her arms as a sudden chill crept up her spine.

“If that’s the one you want then I’ll go find some shoes to go with it,” She said quickly before scurrying off in the other direction.

Maybe she was getting sick after all because it was unbearably hot all of a sudden. Out of all the compliments she’d paid people in the past few weeks, this one was the hardest to swallow, and frankly, she knew it was because she really meant it. Marinette seemed to realize it too because they both sat in silence on the way home which Chloe greatly appreciated. She’d die of shame if Marinette brought it up, but thankfully she remained quiet on the issue.

“I’ll send for you around noon on Saturday so you can get your hair and makeup done,” She said once they arrived back at the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

“Okay.” Marinette nodded, climbing out. She paused in the doorway, a smug grin creeping over her lips. “See you at school, pretty girl.”

When the car door slammed, Chloe’s beet red face was buried in her hands as a series of incoherent shrieks left her throat. That was the last time she’d ever pay Marinette a compliment!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took a little longer, but on the bright side I am done with school now, so I will be enforcing Monday uploads of this one.  
> I decided to split this one to keep it from getting too long, so the dinner party will be next chapter.  
> I’m thinking that this one will have 15 chapters, but I don’t know for sure. I may bump it up to 20, but it will depend on how writing goes…  
> If you’d like some more Chlonette, I wrote a short fic for the ML Rare Pair Exchange titled “Just For You” and it’s some Chlonette LARPing, so go check that out!  
> Also, be sure to follow me on tumblr (purrincess-chat) where I post updates, sneak peaks, and sometimes take requests for short little drabbles (I wrote a little Chlonette one recently) as well as posting other Miraculous related news, art, and shenanigans.  
> Click on my username to pull up all of my other works if you’re in the mood to read some more. I have a College AU that I’m working on right now plus several other shorter fics. Be sure to leave me a comment if you enjoyed this chapter, and I’ll see you guys on Monday!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

When Saturday rolled around, Marinette glanced at the dress hanging from her window with a pensive frown. The day was going to be exhausting; she could feel it. Why on earth had she agreed to this again? It’s not like she knew how to handle the press any better than Chloe did, even if she was Ladybug. All this evening was going to do was give her a headache, but at least there would be food.

Chloe sent for her around noon which was a little annoying since she didn’t see why she needed to get ready for 6 hours, but apparently it was necessary. She was dropped off at a day spa and led to a mud bath where Chloe was already soaking. Marinette flinched at the sight of her green face mask, and Chloe peeked one eye open.

“Well, don’t just stand there. I’m not going to have you showing up to the party with that travesty you call skin. Get in,” She ordered before leaning her head back again.

Marinette sighed as the assistants directed her to the changing room and offered her a small black bikini to cover with. A couple minutes later she stalked out and slipped into the bath with Chloe, shuddering a little bit at the texture but ultimately easing her way in. Chloe didn’t say anything as she got situated, but continued to lay back quietly until the silence ate at Marinette.

“So, what exactly am I supposed to be doing tonight?” She demanded, and Chloe let out a deep breath.

“Can we not talk during my zen time?” Chloe whined. “I need every moment of this to mentally prepare myself.”

“Yeah, and I needed more time this afternoon to mentally prepare myself for you, and yet here I am,” Marinette said pointedly, so Chloe sat up with a groan.

“I need you to be my shield. If anyone from the press comes up, I need you to say nice things about me,” Chloe instructed, massaging mud into her arm.

“Why couldn’t Sabrina do that?” Marinette grumbled.

“I’ve taken Sabrina to one of these events before. She can’t handle them. The press makes her anxious, and she can hardly handle herself with any form of decorum and dignity,” Chloe relayed simply. “I love her, but she’s a mess.”

“What the hell have I let you drag me into?” Marinette leaned her head back and let out a breath. Silence fell between them again for a while until Chloe spoke.

“Look, I know I’m asking a lot of you, and honestly, I don’t even know why you’re helping me, but I really need you to do this for me,” She said quietly.

“I know,” Marinette sighed. “You owe me big time for this.”

“I can get you anything you want,” Chloe offered, but Marinette shook her head.

“No, I’m not thinking money or possessions. I’m thinking favors.” She smirked, and Chloe’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t worry. I’ll wait for opportune moments to cash them in.”

“You’re going to hold this over me forever, aren’t you?” Chloe groaned.

“Wouldn’t you?”

She pursed her lips and laid back again, staring up at the ceiling. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Of course, if the tables were turned there would be no way I’d help you.”

“Believe me. I’m still questioning my sanity.” Marinette rolled her eyes, and Chloe let out a slight chuckle. “Alya is ready to have me admitted.”

“You should be,” Chloe agreed, sobering a little and shifting to look at Marinette. “Um, Marinette…I-”

“Mademoiselle Bourgeois? It’s time for your hair appointment,” An attendant announced, bowing politely.

“Of course.” Chloe nodded, standing up. “Come with me. I’ll show you were the showers are.”

Marinette had to admit, as grating as sitting in a mud-pit was, her skin felt baby soft after all the mud got rinsed off. She wasn’t quite sure how it worked, but the results were impressive enough. Chloe broke off from her after that, and the two were busier speaking to hairdressers and makeup artists than they were each other. It was actually kind of fun having someone else paint her nails and doll her up, and being separated from Chloe for a few hours was a breath of fresh air before the party. When they finally saw each other again, Chloe looked her up and down with a stunned expression, and Marinette shifted uncomfortably.

“What?” She demanded, and Chloe’s gaze flicked up to meet hers.

“Nothing. I’m just amazed by what a little makeup can do.” She shrugged, and Marinette felt her annoyance flare.

“Are you sure you want to test the person who’s supposed to be saying nice things about you tonight?” Marinette warned, and Chloe rolled her eyes.

“I’m saying you look nice, jeez. Now, come on. We have to time our arrival perfectly to avoid the press as much as possible.” She snapped her fingers and a crew of people ushered them out to the limo waiting on the curb. “When we get there, don’t even bother with the people outside. They’re no bodies. I’m worried about the reporters inside the event because they’re good at cornering you with no chance of escape.”

“Okay.” Marinette nodded obediently, and Chloe took a deep breath. Her knees bounced impatiently as they drove to city hall where the banquet was being held, and when the limo doors opened again, they were quickly rushed inside as several reporters shoved microphones and cameras in their face. All of the flashing lights were a little disorienting, so Marinette was glad someone was pulling her in the right direction.

Once inside Chloe let out a sigh of relief, and Marinette glanced around at all of the guests in awe. She’d never really been to a fancy event like this before, so it was a little overwhelming. Chloe seemed to sense this, so she linked an arm through Marinette’s and dragged her along toward the dining hall.

“Just try not to spill food on yourself,” She hissed as they were seated.

“No promises,” Marinette snorted, and Chloe gave her an icy glare.

Fortunately, most of the reporters were situated down at the other end of the table, so they were able to enjoy their meal in peace, but the after party was where things got a little tricky. Once the meal commenced and everyone began to move around, Chloe grabbed Marinette’s wrist and yanked her to her feet. She toted her through crowds of less important people until they reached a safe corner.

“We’ve got at least half an hour where the press will be distracted by other people. They’ll work their way down the chain eventually, and when they do, we need to be prepared,” Chloe instructed in a hushed tone as they hid by the stairs.

“Okay, so what’s the plan?” Marinette asked.

“You’re supposed to come up with one!” Chloe hissed, voice rising in pitch slightly, and Marinette pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Fine. I’ll figure something out. I’ve got 30 minutes. I think I can manage to come up with-”

“Chloe, pumpkin.” Mayor Bourgeois appeared around the corner and beckoned them. “I’m about to do an interview with the press, and I need you present.”

“What?” She and Marinette both gasped in unison.

“They’re going to ask questions about you if you’re not there, so come with me,” He ordered.

Chloe swallowed hard and regained her firm grip on Marinette’s wrist, squeezing it tightly as they headed toward a familiar woman in a business suit. Nadia. She perked up as soon as she saw them, and Marinette felt Chloe’s hand begin to shake as her nails dug into the skin. Marinette winced in pain, biting her tongue to keep her whimper from leaking out, and in one swift motion, she slapped Chloe’s hand away and rubbed the nail marks on her arm sorely.

“Nadia is my mom’s friend. I got this,” Marinette whispered, and Chloe nodded.

“You better!” She said through gritted teeth as Nadia shook her father’s hand.

“Mayor Bourgeois, thank you for taking the time to speak with me,” She said with a charming smile that Chloe’s father returned.

“It’s my absolute pleasure, Nadia,” He replied smoothly.

“What can you tell me about your educational agenda to better our school systems?” She began, and Chloe crossed her arms over her chest to hide how her hands shook while they talked business. It gave Marinette a little time to think, but not much. Nadia was good at her job, and she got to the topic of Chloe soon enough.

“Now, tell me, Mayor, how did you take the news that your daughter bullies her fellow classmates, and how do you think this kind of behavior impacts our schools?” Nadia asked, holding tape recorder toward him.

“I think it is absolutely unacceptable for children to be bullied, and I’m taking proper measures to ensure that my daughter is not found guilty of it. Education is the building block on which this nation is run, and children need a sound environment in which to learn,” He answered as Chloe shrank slightly.

“How do you think your daughter came to act this way? Is her behavior learned?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Some of our sources think that you abuse your power as Mayor to keep your daughter from being held responsible for her actions. Care to comment?”

“I have only ever done what I felt necessary as a father to protect my child. As a mother, I’m sure you understand,” He entreated, but Nadia shifted gears.

“What kind of role model do you think Chloe is for younger generations? Should I expect my 5 year old to look up to someone who steps over others to get what she wants?” Marinette could see Mayor Bourgeois sweating bullets, and she supposed it was time to do her job.

“If I may…” Marinette stepped forward and all focus fixed on her. “I think this is a perfect time to bring up the charity Chloe has been telling me about that she’s looking to work with.”

“Charity?” Nadia’s eyebrows raised.

“Charity?” Chloe turned to her with an incredulous expression.

“Yes. You remember the one. That girl’s orphanage we’re volunteering at next weekend.” Marinette nodded, egging her to catch on.

“Oh,” Chloe laughed nervously. “Right. _That_ charity.”

“What was it again?” Nadia turned toward them, and Chloe glanced at Marinette for help.

“It’s an orphanage across town, and Chloe has been talking my ear off about them. So we’re finally going to volunteer there next weekend. Sunshine Oaks is the name of it. We were trying to keep it under wraps because Chloe doesn’t want there to be a lot of press there. Might upset the kids, ya know?” Marinette lied so smoothly even Chloe was impressed.

“Of course. I think I’ve heard of it.” Nadia nodded firmly. “What kind of work will you be doing with them?”

“We’ll be teaching them to read,” Marinette replied. “Because education is important, right, Mayor Bourgeois?”

“Y-Yes, of course! Which is why I’ll be attending as well as part of my new education initiative,” He chimed in, steering Nadia’s attention back. Chloe snagged Marinette’s arm once more and dragged her off to a secluded corner.

“First off, that was incredible,” She started.

“Thank you.”

“But more importantly, how the hell are we going to set up a fake orphanage in a week?” She glanced around nervously as if she expected someone to be listening in.

“It’s not fake. It’s a very real orphanage,” Marinette stated, folding her arms over her chest. “My parents donate our leftover bread all the time, and we raise money to buy them blankets in the winter through customer donations.”

“Really?” Her nose wrinkled slightly, and Marinette rolled her eyes.

“We’ll iron out the details later, but next week we’ll need to be on our A game. Nadia is definitely going to spread that news around, so be ready to face the press.” Marinette tapped her chin in thought, and Chloe’s lip twitched slightly, a telltale sign of her agitation.

Upon seeing her expression, Marinette pressed her lips into a firm line and quietly headed for the large crowd of guests as Chloe’s fists began to shake at her sides. She wasn’t quite certain, but she felt that Chloe was seething on the inside. Perhaps dumping a charity on her wasn’t the best way to go in that situation, but it worked as far as Marinette was concerned. Besides, it would be fun to force Chloe into actually lifting a finger for once. That is, if Chloe didn’t kill her first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tis I! Your friendly neighborhood fanfiction writer with another installment of your favorite pairing!
> 
> The plot thickens. Chloe is regretting every decision she ever made in bringing Marinette into the picture. We’ll have to see how it pans out next week!
> 
> If you’re in the mood for more Chlonette, I have a couple other fics including a Marichat May remix that I did with a Chat!Chloe, so click on my username to check it out.
> 
> Also be sure to follow me on tumblr (purrincess-chat) for updates, previews, thoughts from my brain, and other Miraculous trash that I find and share, and be sure to leave me a comment down below about what you thought of this, and I’ll see you guys again with another chapter on Monday!
> 
> If you’re following any of my other fics, be on the lookout for the next chapter of Lady Luck sometime either tomorrow or Wednesday as well as some more Ladrien within the next couple days as well. Hope you’re all having a wonderful day! :)


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“There’s so many,” Chloe whined as the limo rounded the corner of the orphanage to reveal a huge crowd of reporters waiting outside. “You set this up to ruin me, didn’t you?”

“Relax. It’s going to be fine. Have you studied the notecards I gave you?” Marinette asked as the limo slowed to a stop.

“Yeah, but-”

“Then you should be fine.” Marinette cut her off as the door opened. “Let’s go.”

Chloe swallowed hard as they crawled out to face the masses. The moment her feet touched the pavement, camera bulbs flashed in her face, and several reporters shoved microphones at her demanding statements. She blindly followed Marinette up the front steps where a woman with short brown hair waited in the doorway. Chloe could see a couple of small children peaking between her legs as Marinette shook her hand.

“Thank you for coming, girls. It’s a huge help,” She said with a look of genuine gratitude.

“Of course, Ms. Durand. Chloe and I are happy to assist.” Marinette smiled easily.

She was a natural. All Chloe could think about were her sweaty armpits and churning stomach. How could Marinette even function right now? She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She was being ridiculous, after all, she _was_ the mayor’s daughter. She should have some pride.

So, with her head held high, she followed Ms. Durand and Marinette inside doing her best to seem dignified. It was nothing like anything she’d seen before. The walls were a little shoddy with ripped wallpaper, and the hard plank floors were covered with old, musty rugs. Everywhere she looked were little girls and boys, staring up at her with inquisitive little eyes.

“How many children live here?” Chloe asked with a gape.

“15 right now,” Ms. Durand replied, gesturing them into the small sitting room that housed a few chairs and bookshelves. “Make yourselves comfy; I’ll go round them up for you.”

Marinette took a seat calmly and patted the chair next to her for Chloe to sit in. She lowered onto it carefully, crossing her legs and clasping her hands in her lap as children began to flock in. She felt her back stiffen a little as a camera man stood in the doorway, filming their every move.

“Good afternoon, everyone!” Marinette greeted cheerfully.

“Good afternoon, Marinette.” They all repeated back.

“I’ve brought a friend with me today to help you guys too, so everyone will get a chance to read this time,” She continued, and immediately several pairs of eyes locked on her.

“Hello.” Chloe waved nervously, plastering on a smile.

“Everyone group up with a book, and Chloe and I will help you take turns.”

They all jumped up energetically and rushed to the bookshelves to pick their favorites then they calmly shuffled over to them, forming neat lines as they waited for their turn patiently. Marinette moved to sit on the floor and nodded for Chloe to do the same. Chloe gave her a “do I have to?” wince which was met with a stern frown, so Chloe shifted down slowly right before a little dusty-haired girl plopped in her lap. She flinched a little and glanced at Marinette for help, but she was busy with a lapful of her own, so Chloe painted on a smile as the girl began to read, using her finger to keep her place.

“O…n-ce up-on a t…i-me…” What had she gotten herself into? She glanced at the little girl’s shoes, mismatched and riddled with holes, and her nose wrinkled a little.

“What happened to your shoes?” She asked, and the girl clicked them together.

“They got too small for Evette so they’re mine now. Charlotte gets them next,” She explained.

“You don’t have your own shoes?” She glanced up as several of them shook their heads.

“Oh.” Chloe felt her heart sink a little, thinking guiltily of her closet full of shoes back home as the girl resumed reading painfully slow.

After a while, she glanced over at Marinette who had three children piled in her lap laughing cheerfully as they read _Jack and the Beanstalk_. It baffled her that people who had so little were smiling so widely. If she were in their position, she’d be a puddle of tears every day, and yet all of them were smiling and having fun. Time passed by in slow motion as child after child moved into her lap with worn books, some missing pages, and began to read. She didn’t feel like any of it was real, and finally, the last child closed his book and stood up as Marinette climbed back into her chair.

“You all did so wonderfully today! I brought you all a little treat for being such awesome readers!” She reached into her backpack and pulled out a box of cookies which prompted excited squeaks and whispers from around the room. “While I pass these out, Chloe is going to tell us a story.”

“I am?” She cocked a brow, and Marinette gave her a look. “I…am!”

“Are you gonna use the dolls?” That little mop of dirty blonde hair asked hopefully.

“Of course she is. It wouldn’t be story time without our friends, right?” She nodded to her bag, so Chloe dug inside to find a few books and several dolls. She picked out one in particular, an idea forming in her mind.

 _Beauty and the Beast_.

She eyed the book for a moment, glancing up at Marinette who winked. Situating the book on her lap, she dug through the dolls until she found the ones she was looking for.

“Um,” She began, clearing her throat. “I’m going to tell this one a little differently…” She held up the princess dressed in a beautiful gown and took a deep breath.

“Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess named Cosette, and she lived in a big castle with her loving parents. One day, her mother fell ill and left her daughter and husband, the king, all alone. The princess was very sad and missed her mother terribly, so her daddy bought her lots of gifts to make her smile. But he bought her too many gifts, and soon she became greedy and started mistreating all of the town’s people until one day she turned into a horrible beast.” She swapped the princess out for the beast and continued.

“She lived as an awful beast for a long time, but she didn’t know what she had become because every time she looked in the mirror, she could only see the beautiful princess she’d always been. It wasn’t until the town’s people started running and screaming that she realized what she had become. The king told her to find a witch in the forest that could help her turn back into a princess, so the Beast went on a journey to find her, but the witch was someone she’d been especially mean to so she didn’t want to help the Beast. The Beast was sad and returned home to her castle, lamenting that she was always going to be a hideous monster. But the kind witch, seeing the Beast’s pain, decided to help her after all and came to visit her at the castle. She told the Beast that the only way to become a princess again was to do kind deeds and make up for all the hurt she’d caused. Together they set out to make up with those that she’d been mean to, but the town’s people were still angry with her and wouldn’t listen. Nevertheless, the witch never gave up even though the Beast had also been mean to her, sometimes more than others…”

She glanced up to see all eyes trained intently on her, even Marinette seemed a little engrossed, and Chloe felt her cheeks heat up. “So, the witch helped the Beast see how selfish she was being and taught her how to be kind. The end.” The children stared at her blankly for a moment before Marinette initiated a clap. Chloe let out a breath, cheeks burning as a scrawny little boy raised his hand.

“Did the Beast ever turn back into a princess?” He asked.

“Maybe. You’ll have to find out another time because it’s time for us to go,” Marinette stated, gathering her things into her bag and zipping it up.

“Aww,” The kids sighed, and Marinette chuckled.

“We’ll come back very soon, we promise,” She vowed, blowing kisses as they followed Ms. Durand back out.

“Thank you girls again. The kids absolutely loved it,” She said, shaking their hands as the doors opened and several reporters hopped up and waited expectantly.

“It’s our pleasure, right, Chloe?” Marinette elbowed her, and she jumped.

“Uh, yeah. It was my pleasure.” She nodded, glancing back at the little dusty-haired girl with her mismatched shoes.

“Chloe, Chloe!” Several voices called, and she paused at the top of the steps. Marinette turned back to her curiously, gesturing for her to get into the limo.

“I want to do something…” She said softly, and Marinette cocked a brow as she turned to the press. “These children inspired me today because even though they have so little, they still find ways to be happy. I want to do more for them, so…I’m going to start a foundation to donate new books, clothing, and shoes to more shelters across Paris so that every child can have clean clothes and proper books to read.”

There was a moment of silence until she nodded curtly then the chorus of voices erupted once more, and Marinette took her wrist and pulled her back into the limo. Once safely inside, Chloe leaned back with a sigh of relief and opened her eyes to see a sly smirk plastered on Marinette’s face as she folded her arms over her chest. Chloe pursed her lips and glared in the other direction, tapping her fingers on her thighs.

“Not bad, Cosette,” She praised, and Chloe felt her cheeks burn bright red.

“I just- I’m…Shut up,” She grumbled, hiding her face as Marinette’s laughter filled the car. Despite Marinette’s jabs, Chloe felt good about the day. It was the first idea she’d come up with on her own, and for what it was worth, she was proud of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, apparently orphanages aren’t a thing in France really anymore, but shhh plot! That’s not what’s really important in this chapter anyways.
> 
> Someone asked me on tumblr if I was going to go into Chloe’s backstory and tell why she was so mean, but she’s really private about things, especially pertaining to her mom. She’ll open up a bit more on it later, but this chapter kind of scratched the surface.
> 
> Another person asked if I was going to go into the bee Miraculous in this story, and I’m actually not going to for this one. I’d like to think that these events are her pre-Miraculous redemption leading up to getting the bee, but she won’t get it in this story.
> 
> I’ve decided to up my update schedule to twice a week, so look for the next chapter sometime Thursday. I want to get this one finished because I have lots of other things I want to work on, so I’ll be uploading on Monday and Thursday until this is finished. I’m thinking it’ll be 15 chapters. 
> 
> Get your bodies ready next week cause the love square is going down! I have another rare pairing that will kind of crop up at the very end of this, but I don’t want to spoil anything.
> 
> Click on my username to pull up more works that I’ve done and be sure to follow me on tumblr (purrincess-chat) for chapter updates, fan art, and other Miraculous content and news! I’ll see you all on Thursday!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The following week at school, students were abuzz about Chloe’s surprising generosity. Some were shocked, though supportive, however, others were still skeptical which Marinette couldn’t blame them. But regardless of her true intentions, the foundation idea was all Chloe, and it would do good which was what really mattered. As much as she hated to admit it, she was kind of proud of Chloe, not that she ever planned to say it to her face.

Chloe did seem to be changing, and if she continued down this path of righteousness, Marinette would be happy to be wrong. She’d seen sides of Chloe she never even imagined existed, and while she wasn’t quite sure it excused her behavior in the past, it did give her a bit more perspective. Maybe she’d turn around after all, and Marinette could go her own way again. Being Ladybug and Marinette was hard enough without factoring in another problem to deal with. She looked forward to her freedom once all of his was over, and she could get back to her own life. She deserved a break after all she’d done recently.

“Marinette!” Her heart jumped into her throat at the sound of a particular familiar voice.

Adrien!

“H-Hey, hi, Adr-ien, you’re, uh – haha – hello.” She waved awkwardly. “What’s going up? I mean on! I mean-”

“I’ve noticed you’ve been helping Chloe out a lot lately, and she’s actually been a lot calmer since then. I was a little worried about her when that news story hit a month ago, but I think it’s so awesome that you’re helping her,” He praised, and Marinette momentarily lost herself in his eyes. She shook herself when she realized he stopped talking.

“Oh, uh, yeah! I felt kinda bad too, so I thought I could help her,” She said, touching her flushed cheeks. “It’s been kind of a wild ride.”

“I bet. Chloe can be stubborn, but you’re a natural miracle-worker,” He chuckled. “I’m impressed you got her to go to that orphanage.”

“You and me both,” She muttered under her breath.

“What’s that?”

“Oh! Nothing! Just, ya know, I thought it would be good for her.” She rubbed the back of her neck.

“You really have a way with people, Marinette. Everyone looks up to you.” He blushed a little, and she had to blink a few times to make sure she wasn’t imagining it. Adrien was blushing because of her! “So, listen, I was wondering if you wanted to go to a movie with me sometime? I-I know you’re busy helping Chloe, and I’m kinda booked for a while too, but maybe we can set aside a day in a few weeks just for us?”

Us. She liked the sound of that.

“I, yes! I-I’d love to see a movie with you, Adrien,” She gasped.

“Awesome! I’m free again at the end of the month for a few days. We can go that Saturday,” He offered. “If that works for you.”

“Totally!” She blurted. “It works perfect! I mean, _you’re_ perfect – I mean, uh, perfect!”

“Great. I look forward to it,” He patted her shoulder and headed past her to the boy’s locker room. She stared after him with a dopey grin on her face and a glazed-over, distant gaze in her eye.

“Adrien just asked you on a date, you know,” Tikki said pointedly in her ear.

“Yeah,” She sighed dreamily. “Wait. Adrien asked me on a date. Adrien asked _me_ on a date! I’ve got to tell Alya!” Her friend in question was organizing her books at her locker when Marinette tackled her.

“Whoa, there! Give me some warning next time,” She laughed. “What has you all worked up?”

“Adrien asked me on a date~” She sang.

“Get out! M, that’s awesome!” Alya gaped. “When?”

“End of the month. We’re going to a movie. Alya, I can’t feel my feet. Are they on the ground?” She gushed, cupping her cheeks as excited squeals bounced between them.

Chloe slammed her locker shut on the other side of the wall and stalked from the room as Marinette recounted every detail to Alya. She knew she owed Marinette for her help, but she always figured it would be in the form of a manicure or shopping spree. She hadn’t considered that Adrien might pick _her_. It was Chloe’s own fault for not shaping up sooner, so she supposed she couldn’t complain. Still, it irked her that he asked Marinette on a date, and looking at either of them for the next several weeks only made things worse.

“Hey.” Marinette lingered by her desk after class one day. “You haven’t asked for my help recently, is everything okay?”

“I’m fine. Just been busy organizing my charity. Legal stuff. Doesn’t concern you,” She answered without looking up as she packed her things away.

“Okay, just checking,” She said before slowly backing toward the door. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“I will.”

“Okay.” She nodded and paced from the room.

Chloe’s silent treatment continued for another week which was fine by Marinette. She supposed her work was done sooner than she thought, and this was the new normal for them. That is until Chloe approached her one Friday while she was unpacking her locker at the end of the day.

“What are you wearing tomorrow?” She asked bluntly, and Marinette’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “On your date.”

“Oh. Well, we’re just going to the movies, so nothing too fancy-”

“Show me,” She ordered. After another strange look from Marinette, she rolled her eyes. “Adrien is a dear friend. I can’t have you embarrassing him tomorrow.”

“Al-right?” Marinette shut her locker and slowly moved around Chloe as if she expected her to snap at any moment and led the way to her house. Chloe remained quiet the whole way which only added to how weird this felt. When they made it to Marinette’s room, she gestured to the outfit she picked, and Chloe eyed if critically. “Does it pass?”

“It’ll be dark in the theater, I guess.” She shrugged, and Marinette rolled her eyes.

“What’s with you? You’ve been completely silent for three weeks, and all of a sudden you come back and ask me about my outfit for my date?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you mad at me?”

“No.” Chloe shook her head slightly.

“Are you sure?” Chloe eyed her a moment before turning back to the stairs.

“I’m leaving. Have fun on your date.”

It was a sentence that would continue to haunt Marinette for the rest of the evening. What did she mean have fun? Was she being sarcastic? Was she planning to sabotage it? What was with her lately? Several similar questions ran through her head as she prepped herself the next day and waited for Adrien to arrive.

“Marinette!” Her mom called up the stairs after a while, and she made her way down to the living room where Adrien was chatting with her father. Their conversation trailed off as she descended, and Adrien’s face lit up into a smile.

“Ready to go?” He extended a hand.

“Yeah.” She nodded, shaking herself and taking his hand without a second thought.

“Have fun, you two!” Her mother called as they headed down the stairs.

“You look cute today,” He complimented.

“Oh. Thanks! You too,” She laughed nervously.

It wasn’t until they climbed in the car that she realized she’d held his hand all the way down the stairs _and_ accepted a compliment on her appearance without malfunctioning. All because she was thinking about Chloe. Maybe _she_ was the one acting strange. This was her chance to impress Adrien and make him fall in love with her, and yet, somehow her heart wasn’t in it as much as she’d always imagined. Alya was right. She really did need a brain scan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the first ever Thursday update! The second update of the week! 
> 
> Chloe is jealous, but of who, is the question. Next chapter will encompass one of my favorite Chloe activities. If you guys have read some of my other stuff or if you follow me on tumblr you probably know what that is. 
> 
> Next update will be on Monday! We are halfway through this thing, and I’m hoping to finish it within the next few weeks. I wanna move on to a Lilanette idea that I have and a Chlolya one too. I have a lot of ideas to crank out this summer, and I have this next week off so I’m gonna try and get ahead on this fic and maybe start on some of those other projects. 
> 
> Hopefully the tiny bit of Adrinette didn’t suffocate you. That’s really all that’s in this story, and next chapter it dies. Really it’s dead, but next chapter just makes it official. You’ll see. 
> 
> Be sure to leave me a comment on what you think and click on my username if you want some more stuff to read before Monday gets here. Also follow me on tumblr (purrincess-chat) for fic updates, sneak peaks, and other Miraculous art, news, and theories and stuff. See you guys on Monday!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Marinette stared at her ceiling for a long time that night wondering just what was wrong with her. Was she sick? Tikki insisted that she didn’t feel feverish. Had she lost her mind? It was plausible and something she’d been wondering for quite some time now. Maybe this was what people warned about with setting expectations too high. But Adrien had been wonderful and polite and yet something felt…off, and she couldn’t quite place her finger on what. Because Adrien had been his usual, perfect self, but the sparks had suddenly disappeared from her end. She rolled over on her mattress with a groan, and Tikki flitted up beside her with a sympathetic wince.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Tikki,” She mumbled, voice muffled by her pillow.

“Maybe you’re just over your crush, Marinette. Sometimes people just move on, especially at your age,” Tikki suggested as Marinette lifted her face and rested her chin on the pillow.

“It’s just so weird because Adrien was everything I’ve always admired, charming, sweet, funny, but I just didn’t feel anything like I normally do,” She said with a pout.

“Maybe Adrien isn’t the one who changed,” Tikki pointed out, landing in front of Marinette’s nose.

“What do you mean?” Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“You’ve been hanging out with Chloe a lot more lately, and I think it’s changed your perspective. You see things differently now than you did before,” She explained, and Marinette sat up.

“I don’t think I’ve changed that much. I mean, I haven’t noticed any huge differences in myself…” She pursed her lips and thought back over the last month and a half.

“Maybe you haven’t noticed, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened. The most subtle of change can have a monumental effect on who we are, but we may never realize. It’s like when you became Ladybug, you became more confident, brave, and driven,” Tikki gesticulated.

“Well, Ladybug was a pretty big change, I’d say. It changed my whole life,” Marinette giggled, brushing Tikki playfully with her finger.

“Maybe this thing with Chloe is bigger than you realize. Hasn’t it changed your life too?” Tikki gave her a look, and Marinette sat back and pursed her lips.

She hadn’t really thought about it that way before. All this time she thought she was reforming Chloe, and in a way she was, but she hadn’t considered how helping Chloe might also change her. It was true that she saw things a little differently now that Chloe was being nicer. Her life was a lot different at school. Quieter, not that she had any complaints there. Sure, she still hung out with her friends and saved Paris as Ladybug, but something had shifted since she accepted the task of cleaning up Chloe’s image. Her normal felt altered now, and her feelings for Adrien were one of the things that stayed behind with her old self it seemed. It felt kind of ironic now that he was finally starting to notice her.

Life was strange that way she supposed, and she wasn’t quite sure what to do now. What did she think about late at night or during physics? Adrien had consumed so much of her life for so long now that she felt a little hollow now that her feelings were dying out. With a determined frown, she crawled from her bed and paced down to her desk where her wall of photos stared back at her. He was still handsome as ever, and she still thought he was amazing, but it didn’t fill her stomach with butterflies the same way it used to. Looking at his static images just didn’t stoke the fire burning in her core anymore, and she didn’t feel too much remorse as she carefully removed each photo and stacked them in a neat pile. This was what moving on felt like, and honestly, it was a little intimidating.

“It’s so empty now,” She said with a short laugh. “I don’t know what to do.”

“You’ll find something new to fill it up soon enough,” Tikki assured her, and Marinette offered up a small smile.

“Good night, Tikki,” She whispered before climbing the stairs back to her bed and clicking off her lamp.

It was one of the worst night’s sleeps she’d ever gotten, tossing and turning every couple minutes, unable to find a comfortable position. Her mind was buzzing with a new perspective and wondering what it all meant. For so long she thought she had it all figured out, but now she realized she didn’t have the slightest idea about what she wanted. She couldn’t explain why or how it happened just that it had. She no longer loved Adrien the way she had before, and it’s not like there was anyone that had replaced him, just all of a sudden…nothing.

The next day she shuffled through her morning routine and downed two cups of coffee to make up for her lack of sleep. Her mind was still jumbled, and she determined that she needed to talk to someone about it other than Tikki. It was Sunday, so most of the shops around town were closed, and the streets were less crowded than usual which was nice. She wasn’t quite sure where she was going, more so she felt she was just aimlessly wandering until her feet dropped her in front of Chloe’s hotel. It was a long shot that Chloe would even talk to her considering her behavior lately, but she felt her subconscious had brought her there for a reason, so she headed inside and up to Chloe’s floor.

She paused outside her door with her hand raised to knock and began to second guess herself. Chloe had been acting strange, and even though she swore she wasn’t angry, Marinette knew her better. Maybe she should turn back and go see Alya instead. She wasn’t even sure why she came there in the first place. It was preposterous of her to think that Chloe wanted to hear her problems, especially about Adrien. But just as she turned to leave, the door clicked open and one of Chloe’s many butlers nearly smacked into her.

“Oh, I beg your pardon, mademoiselle,” He apologized, bowing politely.

“No, no! It was my bad,” Marinette insisted, waving it away.

She could hear grunts and shouts from inside the room, and out of curiosity, she stepped around the butler and entered the suite where Chloe and Sabrina were chasing each other and jumping over furniture. And they were dressed as Ladybug and Chat Noir. Marinette stared for a moment, debating turning and leaving for a much different reason now.

“What in the actual hell are you two doing?” She asked. The two girls froze in their tracks at the sound of her voice and turned slowly toward her.

“What are _you_ doing here?” Chloe asked, folding her arms over her chest, cheeks flushed from being caught.

“Hi, Marinette,” Sabrina greeted, waving a black-gloved hand politely.

“Hi,” Marinette responded with a curt nod before turning back to Chloe. “I honestly have no idea anymore. I forgot.”

“Laugh all you want; this is how I have fun,” She said, holding out her arms to accept whatever judgments Marinette had for her.

“I’m not touching this. I’ll just go see Alya.” Marinette shook her head and turned to leave, but before she could reach the door, Chloe let out an exasperated groan.

“Wait!” She called. “Sabrina, we’ll pick this up later.”

“Okay,” Sabrina agreed before trotting off to give them privacy. Chloe ripped off her mask and flopped onto the couch, patting the space beside her. When Marinette hesitated, Chloe gave her a stern look, so she slowly slinked over and sat on the edge of the cushion.

“What did you want?” She asked, folding her legs up beside her.

“Nothing in particular,” Marinette said, pursing her lips, but Chloe wasn’t fooled.

“We both know you didn’t just come here to see me, so what do you want?” She repeated, and Marinette sighed.

“I just wanted to talk to someone about my date with Adrien, but you’re obviously busy, so I’ll go see Alya,” She said, standing up to leave.

“Sit.” Chloe ordered, snapping her fingers and pointing to the couch, and Marinette obeyed. “Talk to me.”

“I don’t want to anymore,” Marinette grumbled softly, and Chloe’s eyes narrowed into a glare, so she sat back with a sigh. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“I have a few suggestions.” Chloe smirked playfully but sobered quickly and urged her to continue.

“Just, I’ve liked him for a while… _a lot_ , and I-I dunno, yesterday was just…It should have been perfect- It _was_ perfect, but I’m feeling a little…” She waved her hands around as she fished for the word. “Underwhelmed.”

“I see.” Chloe nodded.

“I don’t know what possessed me to think that I should come to you with this, so I think I’m honestly losing my mind,” Marinette sighed, leaning her head back against the couch and staring up at the ceiling. Chloe pursed her lips and shifted a little closer, a single hand hesitantly reaching out to pat Marinette’s shoulder. Marinette eyed it skeptically before her gaze flicked up to Chloe.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m comforting you,” She said retracting her hand and clasping them together in her lap before clearing her throat. “Adrien is an enigma. I’ve known him for a long time, and even I don’t understand him entirely. He charms you into falling so hard and so fast, but it’s like a match. It burns out just as quickly as it began.”

“You sound like you speak from experience,” Marinette pointed out, sitting forward.

“Do you honestly think that I threw myself at him so much just to dangle him over other girls?” She scoffed, and Marinette shrugged, pressing her mouth into a line to hide her guilty expression. “I didn’t. Well, maybe a little…but I did really love him. Then when he chose you, I realized that I was only a friend to him, and all of a sudden, I realized I felt the same way about him. It was all just gone in an instant.”

“That’s why you’ve been so quiet,” Marinette realized, her gaze falling to her lap.

“I was jealous of you, but I’m over it now.” She looked up and smiled. “So, what are you going to do? He obviously likes you if he asked you out.”

“What _should_ I do? I don’t want to hurt his feelings.” She pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Just tell him how you feel. Adrien appreciates honesty, and he thinks of you as a friend. I’m sure he’ll be okay with things not working out. You never know. He could feel the same way about your date as you do,” Chloe said pointedly with a shrug, and Marinette glanced up at her in shock.

“Did you just give me good advice?” She gaped, and Chloe turned away stubbornly.

“Don’t act surprised! I can be nice when I want to be,” She huffed, and Marinette smiled.

“Thanks, Chloe.” She nudged her with her elbow, and Chloe pressed her mouth into a firm line to hide her own smile.

“Now, if you don’t mind.” Chloe waved her hands in front of her for Marinette to shoo, so she stood up and headed for the door.

“Have fun with your LARPing,” She called over her shoulder, pulling the door shut quickly as Chloe screamed obscenities from the other side. Her smile lasted all the way to the elevator, and she leaned against the back wall as it carried her back to the lobby.

Crazy or not, her shoulders did feel lighter as she headed home, and she felt a lot better about the situation as a whole. Chloe was just full of surprises it seemed, and Marinette was actually glad that she went to her. Looks like her feet knew what they were doing after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thus returns my favorite Chloe activity: LARPing. I just find it hilarious. I wrote another short drabble for an exchange that included some Chlonette LARPing, and you guys can totally consider it a continuation of this story once it’s finished.
> 
> Next chapter will be as much angst as this story gets, and it’ll be up on Thursday which is my birthday! :)  
> Hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter, be sure to leave me a comment with your thoughts, and click my username to pull up my other works if you get bored between now and Thursday and want something to read. Also follow me on tumblr (purrincess-chat) for updates, sneak peaks, and other Miraculous related content, and I’ll see you guys soon!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The following Monday at school, Adrien approached Marinette with a wide smile, and she took a deep breath as she prepared to do what she never would have imagined. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too heartbroken like Chloe said, but even still, she’d never really had to reject anyone before. She felt her stomach doing somersaults when he finally made it over.

“Hey, I had a lot of fun Saturday, we should hang out more often,” He said cheerfully.

“Uh, yeah, we should totally do that, but um…” She pursed her lips, gaze dropping to her shoes. “I-I think we should just be friends.”

“Oh.” He slumped a little, and she felt her heart drop to her feet. After a moment, he smiled again as if to reassure her. “That’s fine. I think you’re awesome, and I love being your friend.”

“I’m sorry,” She whimpered, covering her face with her hands.

“No, no, no! It’s fine, really, Marinette.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze. “I do like you, but it’s nothing too serious. I’ve actually got another person that I love, but it’s probably never going to happen either. I just thought since you’re a good friend that we could try it out, but if you’re not into me that way, it’s totally fine. Honest.”

Marinette peaked out at him through the cracks in her fingers to see one of those kind smiles she had fallen for only this time, it didn’t quite set her heart pounding like it used to. She let her hands fall from her face and offered up a small smile of her own.

“No hard feelings?” She asked softly, and he chuckled.

“Nah, no hard feelings.” He nodded, extending a fist to her which she bumped with her own.

Chloe watched the interaction from afar curiously, ducking back into the locker room when Marinette steered toward it. Her face felt warm, and her heart was racing in her chest which made her wonder if she was coming down with something. It was odd because she felt relieved, and maybe she was a little worried for Adrien and Marinette, but she’d never felt like this before.

“Hey,” Marinette greeted as she walked passed to her locker.

“Hey, how did things go with Adrien?” Chloe responded, packing her purse and shutting her locker.

“Surprisingly well. He was fine with just being friends, like you said.” Marinette smiled. “Thanks for your help yesterday.”

“No problem. I’m glad everything worked out,” She said with a curt nod, palms clammy for some reason.

“Me too.” Marinette let out a cleansing sigh.

“So, do you want to go get our nails done after school, or we could go shopping,” Chloe offered, and Marinette shrugged.

“Sure, I guess,” She said, and Chloe felt her stomach do a tiny flip.

“Okay, great.” She smiled as the bell rang, signaling that it was time to head to class.

Her stomach did lots of acrobatics that day as she watched the clock, anxious to get to the end of the day. She wasn’t so sure why she felt excited to see Marinette all of a sudden, but she felt like they’d really bonded over the past couple months. Now they got along which was something she never could have predicted happening, and she was glad to have a new friend which was something she hadn’t experienced for a very long time. It felt nice.

“So, how are things with your charity?” Marinette asked once they finally made it into the limo.

“Oh, they’re going great. I’ve got a lot of companies offering to donate supplies to them. No under privileged child will be without clothes and books to read. I have a piece in the news printing on Friday about it, and I’m going to deliver a load of stuff this weekend with Daddy-”

“Sounds like you’ve really gotten a handle on yourself,” Marinette remarked, and Chloe tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Um, yeah, I guess things are better now,” She admitted, the words _thanks to you_ lost on the tip of her tongue. Even just thinking them made her cheeks warm.

“That’s good to hear,” Marinette congratulated, nudging her arm. “You’ve come a long way.”

“Yeah…” She bit her lip, clutching a fistful of the seat as her heart sped up considerably. “Ya know, it’s all thanks-”

“We’ve arrived at the destination, mademoiselle,” Her driver’s voice announced over the speaker, and she jumped a little bit, losing her nerve.

They filed out of the limo and into the salon without another word, and every time Chloe tried to speak her mouth dried up like sand. Why couldn’t she just thank Marinette? Why all of a sudden was it so difficult to say? They were friends now, and she knew Marinette needed to hear it. So why was she so afraid?

Marinette remained quiet, only speaking to the workers about colors and finishes, and Chloe used the same to distract herself and maybe calm some of her nerves. It helped a little, so she attempted conversation on a different subject with Marinette, hoping to regain her confidence if they looped back around to it.

“Sabrina has been helping me figure out my homework myself. She still does most of it when I can’t do it, but I’ve been doing a lot better in physics,” She piped up, and Marinette glanced over curiously.

“Oh yeah?” She cocked a brow.

“Yeah, I’m not so bad at history and math, but my physics and literature need a lot of work,” She rambled, desperate for conversation. “I’ve been trying not to take as much advantage of Sabrina lately, and I don’t think she knows how to react.”

“Yeah, well, she’s been doing it so long, it must be hard for her to adjust to the new you,” Marinette said, watching the stylist work.

“Me and her both,” Chloe joked, but Marinette didn’t laugh so she leaned back against the chair and pursed her lips.

Silence stretched on between them as the workers finished up and moved them to the drying table. Chloe searched Marinette’s expression, but ultimately found it difficult to read. She seemed contemplative and almost a little…sad? They sat across from one another, palms face down under the fan, and Chloe felt that dryness return to her mouth. What on earth was wrong with her?

“So,” Marinette started after a while, and Chloe’s gaze shot up to her. “It sounds like you’ve got things under control now.”

“I- yes, I do,” She agreed, holding her chin up proudly, hoping for more praise. But it didn’t come. In fact, her next words sparked all kinds of reactions inside of her that Chloe didn’t quite understand.

“So, you don’t need me anymore then?” Marinette glanced up from her nails, face a stoic mask of her true feelings.

“Well, I wouldn’t say _that_ , I mean…” Her eyes grew wide with shock, and she tripped over her words. “I am doing better, but, you’ve just, well, you see, I was hoping that maybe we could-”

“I was asked to help you get back in the press’s good graces, and I have, so you don’t have to treat me to shopping sprees and manicures anymore,” She said decidedly as the fan clicked off. “My job is done, so I think we can go our separate ways now.”

Chloe’s chest felt tight, and a huge lump found its way up to her throat. She blinked a few times to keep her eyes from watering too much as they stood up. It wasn’t at all what she expected. Actually, she wasn’t sure what she expected to happen once it was over; she’d never quite pictured there being an end. She certainly hadn’t foreseen enjoying Marinette’s company so much, nor had she really seen herself changing as much as she had. Things were different than they had been before. She was different, and if she was being honest, she wasn’t quite ready to let go just yet. Because for the first time in a long time, she felt happy and accepted, but maybe it was all in her head. She and Marinette had never gotten along, and she supposed Marinette wouldn’t want to be friends with her after everything she’d done. It was foolish of her to think that things could ever be any different. So, with a heavy heart, she pressed her lips into a firm line and nodded, swallowing that lump down and praying her voice didn’t shake when she spoke.

“Yeah. I guess it’s time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Sorry I didn’t have a chapter up Thursday, but it was my birthday and I was trying to complete a challenge I imposed on myself which I did! I know I promised two chapters today after not posting on Thursday, but I’m gonna let this one hang for a little bit because where’s the fun in giving you the resolution right after the conflict?   
> So I’ll do my best to get two chapters ready for Thursday, but I start work again tomorrow, so I’ll have to see how much time and energy I have. Once I get into the flow of my summer schedule, I should be able to work out when I will be uploading, but this story only has 5 more chapters.  
> I’ve started my Lilanette story in the meantime, and I’m hoping to work on the next chapter of Lady Luck and Lady du Coeur and get those out soon too. I have so many projects going on right now, and I’m conceptualizing a Pirate AU in my head (if you follow me on tumblr, you’d know a little about it). I’m going to focus on finishing this fic out first then seeing where things go from there.   
> Let me know in the comments what you guys think of this chapter! Click on my username to pull up more of my works and follow me on tumblr (purrincess-chat) for updates, sneak peaks, and more Miraculous shenanigans, and I’ll see you all on Thursday!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FEELS! You might wanna grab some tissues.

Chapter 11

There were a lot of emotions Marinette expected to feel when she was finally free of Chloe’s ball and chain of servitude. Relieved, being one of them. Happy being another. She _hadn’t_ expected to feel empty or to miss her, and yet somehow what she had and hadn’t expected got flipped backwards without her realizing until she woke up the next morning feeling unfulfilled and lonely. It wasn’t logical. She’d done her job, and there was no other reason for her to associate with Chloe. But she still wanted to. There was literally no reason for her to feel guilty for walking away. But she did.

She told herself that it would go away eventually and went through each day normally. School, homework, patrols, the occasional akuma here and there, hanging out with her friends… But no matter where she went or whose company she found herself in, there was a tightness in her chest that just wouldn’t quite loosen its grip, a gaping hole that left her feeling unsatisfied and empty. Chloe wouldn’t look at her or speak to her, which she had expected when she agreed to help her, but somehow this silent treatment felt different than she’d thought. It was as if she were…hurt? Both of them seemed to wear melancholy expressions those days, and Marinette couldn’t seem to grasp why.

Why did she feel so guilty? Why did she think back over the past two months every night when she laid down to sleep? Why did her stomach turn in nots every time Chloe refused to meet her eye? Why was she so plagued by this confusion? It was how things were meant to be, how they were _always_ meant to be, but it wasn’t good enough all of a sudden. She felt like she could do more. Like _they_ could do more.

But they were finished. There was nothing left for them anymore, and she knew it. She ended their association on her terms before Chloe could to save them both some grief, so why did it feel like they were both so much more miserable?

“You’ve been really down in the dumps lately, Marinette,” Tikki pointed out later that week as she scribbled in the corners of her notebook absentmindedly. “Is everything alright?”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Tikki. I thought that ending things with Chloe would return everything back to normal, but I feel…weird.” She leaned back in her chair with a sigh.

“Why did you end things? You two were getting along so well,” Tikki asked, slowly floating down onto her desk.

“I thought it’s what I wanted – what we _both_ wanted, but I can’t help but feel like Chloe is upset with me over it. You don’t think she actually wanted to be my friend, do you?” She leaned against her fist and gave her kwami a questioning look.

“You two spent a lot of time together when you were helping her, and I think she was just as surprised as you were by how well you two get along when you put your past behind you, Marinette,” Tikki said.

“I guess, but it just feels weird to consider Chloe a friend. We’ve spent so much time hating each other that the thought of being friends is…odd, but also kind of nice I guess. It’s been great not having to argue with someone every day,” Marinette replied with a small smile. “I don’t know, Tikki. My mind is so jumbled and confused.”

“Why don’t you try talking to Chloe?” Her trusty companion suggested, and Marinette drummed her pencil on the page, pursing her lips in contemplation.

“I don’t want to make things worse,” She murmured finally.

“Marinette! Dinner’s ready!” Her mother called up the stairs, and Mari stood up.

“Coming!”

X  X  X

Chloe sat on her bed, her ladybug pillow in her lap as she stared at the wall. She picked at the threads nervously, a frown sagging her features for what wasn’t the first time that week. Her life had grown painfully dull since Marinette left, and she was embarrassed to admit that she missed her. Something had changed between them in the past two months since she asked Marinette to help her out, or she _thought_ that things had changed…but just when she was starting to like how things were, Marinette ripped everything out from under her like a rug.

Marinette had been her biggest enemy for as long as she could remember, but somehow she was glad to be on good terms with her for a while. When they laughed together, it felt comfortable and natural. Neither one was competing with the other for once, and it made Chloe feel at ease for probably the first time in a long time. Since her mother died. She picked up the small frame standing on her bedside table and gazed down at her mother’s portrait, eyebrows knitting together in a grimace.

“I don’t know what to do, Mom,” She choked, breath hitching in her throat as tears bubbled over in her eyes.

She wanted to tell Marinette that they could still be friends. That she _wanted_ to be friends, but she was afraid. Afraid of being rejected, afraid of confirming the reality that she knew was all but certain. Afraid of finding out that Marinette still didn’t like her after everything they’d done together. That it was all in her head. She couldn’t bear the thought of that.

Of course, she couldn’t really blame Marinette for walking away. She’d never said nice things about her before even if she thought them, always only the bad. Being nice made people vulnerable and weak and left them open to be hurt, a notion that was only confirmed more firmly for Chloe now that she sat in her room crying alone in the dark. It wasn’t fair. Everyone else was so capable of making friends, but her whole life she’d been nothing but bad at it. No one ever wanted to hang around her for too long, even when she tried her hardest to change.

Every person she’d apologized to rejected her. Every compliment she paid was met with skeptical glares and accusing eyes. All she had was Sabrina and Marinette, but Sabrina would always love her no matter what. Marinette on the other hand…Marinette had a mind of her own, and she obviously still bore a grudge for all those years of torment even after she put in all this work to prove that she could be better. She just wished that she had apologized…

Chloe shot forward in her bed, heart speeding up erratically. How could she have been so utterly stupid! Marinette helped her so much, and she’d never even apologized to her for how she acted in the past. She’d made amends, or attempted to anyway, with everyone in school except the one person who needed it most. The one person she’d taken for granted the most… Shooting out of her bed like a firework went off under her, Chloe slipped her shoes back on and ran downstairs to the lobby.

It was a long shot, and it probably wouldn’t change anything, but Chloe had to try. She had to at least clear her conscience of all the terrible wrongs she’d committed and let Marinette know that she wanted to move past it. To be friends and put an end to the feud between them. She knew that Marinette would probably slam the door in her face. That she was probably done with Chloe, but she went anyway because it’s what she wanted. Marinette needed to hear those words, needed to know that she was sincerely and wholeheartedly…

“Sorry,” She breathed when Mrs. Cheng opened the door. “Um, I’m sorry to bother you. Is Marinette home?”

“Of course, dear. Marinette!” Mrs. Cheng called over her shoulder, stepping aside as Marinette crept over curiously. Chloe’s breaths came in ragged spurts, and her hands shook by her sides as Marinette stepped into the doorway and eyed her up and down.

“You alright?” She asked a little worriedly.

“No.” Chloe shook her head, lip quivering against her will. “I’m not.”

“What’s wrong? Is it the press-”

“No.” She cut her off. “It’s _you_ , Marinette.”

She pursed her lips at that and dropped her gaze to her feet. Chloe felt the pressure building in her lungs as those precious words hid on the tip of her tongue. But she was done hiding how she felt. Done saying cruel things to get the upper hand. These words needed to be spoken, and they needed to be spoken now.

“I’m sorry,” She whispered, voice cracking. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry.”

“Chloe-” Marinette’s eyes widened in shock as Chloe balled her hands into tight knots at her sides.

“I’ve always been mean to you. I’ve never said nice things about you even when I wanted to. I was so afraid of what you might think of me, and I wanted you to like me. But I didn’t know how…” She let her face fall as all of her fear and insecurity poured down her cheeks. “And I’m sorry! I never said it before, but I am. And I just wanted you to be my friend like everyone else.”

Marinette’s eyes searched her expression in a panic as if she were unsure of what to make of her, but after brief hesitation, she stepped forward and pulled Chloe into a soft hug that grew tighter and tighter as they leaned into each other, soaking in each other’s burden until they found a balance. Chloe buried her face in Marinette’s shoulder, sobbing pitifully while Marinette smoothed her hair. It was the first time anyone had hugged her, _really_ hugged her, in a long time. She’d almost forgotten what that warmth felt like, and she wanted to cling to it for as long as she could because she didn’t know when she’d ever feel it again. But Marinette was kind and patient and showed no signs of pulling away anytime soon, so Chloe drank in that feeling, gulping it down like a wanderer who had been lost in the desert for many years only to discover a rainforest lurking where they’d never bothered to look.

Chloe wasn’t certain how long they stood like that, and she didn’t care. It washed away her hurt and breathed new life into her core, and then Marinette tilted her head just slightly so that her lips touched Chloe’s ear where she whispered three simple words:

“I forgive you.”

And they set her free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyy, it’s yo girl back again with another chapter of this ship!
> 
> Okay, I’m done. I’m a little early, but if you follow me on tumblr and saw the calendar of my planned upload schedule, then you’ll know that getting ahead behooves me right about meow. I thought about it a little bit on tumblr and decided to post this one a little early, and I’m gonna let this one sink in for a few days then I’ll post the next chapter maybe on Saturday or Sunday and another one on Monday to catch up. Maybe. I’m very busy this next week, so I may cut my losses for missing my birthday. 
> 
> Either way, this fic has 4 chapters left. Yes, 4. But don’t worry, the angst is pretty much past, now we get to move into the mutual pining portion of the fic! Horray!
> 
> This chapter turned out a little bit more feelsy than I originally thought, but I guess that’s a good thing? So, leave me a comment if you have thoughts or want to scream at me or if you liked it or something…
> 
> Click on my username for more trash that I’ve written and follow me on my trash blog where I reblog and make trash (okay, I’m sorry) at purincess-chat on tumblr. I’ll see you guys a lot this next week cause holy balls I’m gonna be uploading a lot of things. Pray for me.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Chloe stretched her arms wide as she basked in the hot afternoon sun, floating atop an oversized raft in her pool. Her skin was warm and had a slight sheen to it from her tanning oil, and everything in her life was calm, or at least, everything she cared about that is. For once in her life, she felt completely content, and everything felt perfect the way it was. Of course, it _did_ until a wet hand gripped her ankle as Marinette popped up above the surface of the water next to her and clung to the side of her raft.

“Are you really going to just sit on this thing all day?” She chided as water trailed from her arms down to Chloe who wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“I’m work on my tan. If I get in the water, it will wash off all of the oil,” She replied, laying her head back down.

“Ya know, when you asked me if I wanted to come over and swim, I imagined that I wouldn’t be the only one actually in the water,” Marinette admitted, giving Chloe a look.

“I don’t like what the pool water does to my hair, and I don’t want my fingers to get all pruny. It’s disgusting,” Chloe said, gesticulating in such a manner as if to point out that this information should be obvious.

Marinette rolled her eyes and slipped back down into the water, turning to resume swimming laps until a small, crooked smile curled on her lips. She glanced back at Chloe whose eyes were closed beneath her sunglasses and extended one arm out carefully as to not alarm the girl above before she swished it forward quickly, launching a wave of water up onto the raft and right into Chloe’s lap. She shot forward with a roar, ripping her sunglasses down and glaring at the culprit menacingly.

“Marinette!” She shrieked, and the guilty party bit back a mischievous smile.

“Come on! You’re no fun. Get in the water,” She goaded.

“No!”

“I’m just going to keep splashing you until you do,” Marinette warned, this time cupping both hands together and flinging another load of water at her.

“Ugh! You’re such a child!” Chloe growled, shifting to fling water back in retaliation with one arm.

Marinette held up one arm to shield herself from Chloe’s attack while launching a few of her own. Naturally, Marinette was in a much better position than Chloe which she realized quickly and leaned a little more to flick a larger wave to match Marinette’s until she leaned just a bit too far, flipping her raft over and toppling into the water. When she surfaced with a gasp, her blonde locks covered her face, though Marinette could make out the aggrieved pout on her lips. Chloe smoothed her hair back as Marinette stifled a laugh, her icy blue eyes training on Marinette with a new determination, and after a split second, she launched at Marinette, tackling her under the water.

“You ruined my hair!” She shouted, sending wave after wave of water at Marinette who backed up to avoid the onslaught, laughing loudly between hits.

“I did nothing wrong! You did that all by yourself,” She said pointedly, finally distancing herself enough to begin retaliation once more.

“Ugh!” Chloe slapped her hands on the water and threw her head back. She met Marinette’s amused glint with a displeased frown and sighed, cheeks flushing a little. “You’re so annoying.”

“You invited _me_ over!” Marinette chuckled, holding her arms out defensively.

“I know, but you’re annoying,” She said with a smirk, wading her way over to the steps and climbing out.

“I think you secretly enjoyed it,” Marinette teased, following after her. Chloe grabbed her towel from the lounge chair where her tote bag rested and began drying off, turning her back to Marinette to hide her smile.

“I hated every second of it.”

“Liar,” Marinette said in a singsong voice, and Chloe didn’t bother arguing.

“Why are we friends?”

“I ask myself the same question every day,” Marinette replied, and the two scrunched their faces teasingly at each other.

“Well, I hope you’re happy because now my tan is going to be uneven because I didn’t get to flip over to the back, and I swear if my hair turns green I’m going to hunt you down,” She said, snootily sticking her nose in the air. Marinette gave her a look and pretended to play a violin over her shoulder, and after a moment, the two caved and broke into a fit of giggles.

All was right in the world. Chloe hadn’t felt this at ease in, well, she couldn’t actually remember feeling this blissfully content in her life. Whenever Marinette was around, she felt comfortable and relaxed like she could be herself. Her _true_ self, and that was someone she’d never really shown anyone before save maybe Adrien, and even he had very limited exposure. Marinette knew exactly when she was bluffing and teasing, and as a result, was capable of firing back on her own, something Sabrina never quite caught on to fully. It was nice to joke around, and her cheeks hurt quite often those days from laughing so much. To think she’d wasted so many years being stubborn when Marinette refused to look her way instead of just swallowing her pride and asking to be friends. This could have been her life a long time ago if she hadn’t acted like such a brat, but she supposed it was all in the past now. Marinette had accepted her apology and seemed to bear no ill-will toward her, despite her fervid attempts to ruin her hair, though it would take a lot more than a little pool water to ruin her blow-out.

“I’m going to take a shower then we can order lunch and watch a movie,” Chloe announced once they sobered. “You can clean up in Daddy’s bathroom if you’d like.”

“Okay,” She said with a nod, wrapping her towel around her securely and allowing Chloe to lead the way.

“I’ll send you the bill for my hair after I assess the damage.” She cast side eye at her as she headed across the hall to her father’s suite, knocking as she entered. “Daddy, Marinette is going to use your bathroom!”

Mayor Bourgeois was lounging casually on his couch watching some drama on TV. When they approached, he glanced up and smiled, waving her toward the bathroom permissively.

“Of course, of course. I’ll just be out here watching my show. Are you girls ordering lunch soon?” He said energetically.

“Yeah after we get cleaned up,” Chloe responded, heading back for the door. “Just come back across the hall when you’re done, Marinette.”

“Kay.” She nodded as Chloe slipped out, and she turned and flicked on the light in the bathroom.

“I want to thank you, Marinette,” Mayor Bourgeois started as soon as the door clicked shut behind his daughter, and Marinette paused in the doorway.

“For what?” Her eyebrows knitted together.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Chloe this happy. She took the loss of her mother pretty hard, and she’s been afraid to open up to people since then,” He explained with a wince. “I’m happy that you two could put your differences aside. It really has changed her for the better, I think.”

“Oh. Well, you’re welcome then,” Marinette tittered, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“She really admires you, but don’t tell her I said that.” He winked, turning back to his show, and Marinette took that as a sign to carry on with her actions, so she shut the door to the bathroom and leaned against the door with a huff. She had to wonder if she got too much sun as her cheeks continued to burn throughout the entire duration of her shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m uploading to make up for the chapter I missed on my birthday finally! Surprise! And then there were 3. This one is winding down, though I have considered making this a series and doing a couple spin-offs of it because I’ve mentioned that I feel this is a precursor to Chloe getting a Miraculous and that I wouldn’t touch on it in this fic. I was contemplating recently of doing a continuation series where she gets a Miraculous the surprise couple at the end would have a little bit more of a role in it as well. I’m still mulling it over though, and once I finish this one, I would take a break from it for a while before doing a continuation. Maybe after the summer is over I’ll work on it if I can finish up a few things. If you’ve seen the calendar I posted on tumblr, you’ll know I have a lot planned for this summer.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this! This is going to be kind of what the next two chapters are like where they hang out and do cute stuff like this and bond as friends then there will be a finale. Leave me a comment with your thoughts on this chapter and thoughts on a potential spin-off/continuation eventually, though it will really depend on how you guys feel about the ending I suppose, but let me know if you guys are open to it.
> 
> Click on my username for more things that I’ve written and follow me on tumblr (purrincess-chat) for more Miraculous stuff. I post sneak peaks of fics sometimes and updates on delays as well as other stuff like people’s fanart, theories, future season speculations and news, etc. See you guys on Monday!


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

When Marinette first started helping Chloe, everyone had looked at her like she’d gone mad. Now when they walked the halls together, chatting casually and getting along, people looked at them as if they’d both grown duckbills and webbed feet, not that they cared what anyone else thought. They were friends, and far too much of their lives had been wasted bickering and hating each other when in reality, they were alike in many ways.

They linked arms as they walked, a spring in their step and two contented smiles on their faces as they chatted about Gabriel’s latest designs and made plans to see a movie later that week. No one could deny how happy they looked while spending time together, so most of the time, their friends didn’t question it, but many still bore grudges and rumors spread around like wildfire.

“How much is she paying you?” A boy from another class asked one day, startling her as she shut her locker.

“What?” Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion, and he glanced around agitatedly before leaning in closer.

“Chloe. How much is she paying you to act like her friend?” He whispered, and Marinette felt her jaw clench.

“She’s not paying me anything. We’re friends now, that’s all,” She said shortly, and he leaned back with a smirk.

“Must be a lot.” She felt her annoyance flaring as he walked away, and Alya approached with a curious purse of her lips.

“You looked about ready to maul that guy,” She said pointedly. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, just another jerk who can’t comprehend that Chloe and I are friends. The rumors going around are getting a little ridiculous,” She huffed, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

“Well, it’s a little hard to believe considering your history, so I think it’s just taking people a while to adjust,” Alya offered with a shrug.

“It’s none of their business. Why does it matter if we’re friends now?” Marinette folded her arms over her chest and slumped grumpily as they walked.

“People are nosy. Always have been, always will be. Don’t let it get to you. If you’re fine with it then that’s all that matters. If you told me 4 months ago that you and Chloe would make peace, I’d have laughed in your face, but she’s really come a long way under your guidance,” Alya sounded mildly impressed. “I think it was very big of you to help her out and forgive her. Being your friend has done wonders for her.”

“It’s done a lot for me too. I never realized how full of anger I was and how all that negativity was affecting me. It felt good to forgive her, and I wish a lot of people would see that too,” She said with a small smile, and Alya couldn’t help the one spreading across her face too.

“I’m glad you’re happy,” She said sincerely. “I’ll see you tomorrow, kay?”

“See you.” Marinette waved. When she turned to head toward the bakery, she found herself faced with a group of skeptical students who eyed her disdainfully.

“We know you’re faking it with Chloe. You’re not fooling anyone,” One girl sneered.

“Don’t you all have better things to do?” Marinette grunted, cocking a hip to the side.

“We know she’s only pretending to be nice, and you’re the last person we expected to sell-out to her.”

“Why don’t you just admit that she paid you?”

“She _didn’t_ pay me. We’ve moved past our drama, and maybe you guys should too.” Her hands clenched into fists at her side.

“You’re just a fake like her. Are you going to start pushing us around too?”

“ _Hey_!” They all jumped a little at the stern edge in the voice behind them. Marinette spun around to see Chloe standing on the bottom step, her eyes narrowed into an icy glare.

“Hey, Chloe, how much did you pay Marinette to act like she likes you?” A smug-faced boy called tauntingly.

“Unlike the rest of you selfish coin pinchers, Marinette isn’t tempted by material gain. I haven’t paid her a single cent,” She growled, folding her arms over her chest as she stalked forward like a wild cat circling her prey, but the group was undeterred.

“Of course she’s not gonna admit it, guys,” One girl snorted.

“Think what you want, but Chloe and I are friends,” Marinette chided as Chloe reached her side.

“Then you’re either crazy or stupid. Did you forget how much she made your life miserable? How she makes all of our lives miserable?”

“And how miserable have you been lately? Name for me something she’s done to you in the past month!” Chloe placed a hand on her shoulder to hold her back and stepped in between them, glaring down at the girl in question with a look that could cut through steel.

“Listen up, you self-righteous little drama queens, Marinette is the sweetest, most deserving person in this entire city, and she is leaps and _bounds_ ahead of the rest of you. Yeah, I’ve done a lot of less-than-kind things in the past, but unlike you dimwits, Marinette is capable of seeing past all that and forgiving me which I am well aware that I don’t deserve, so if I _ever_ hear you criticizing her for being a better person than any of you will ever even dream of being, you’ll answer to _me_. I’ve been on the path of righteousness lately, but if you mess with my friend, I won’t hesitate to turn around and make your lives a living hell. Do I make myself clear?” She said darkly, eyes boring right through each of them.

“Tch, whatever,” They all grumbled, backing away and stalking off, casting begrudging glares over their shoulders.

“That was aggravating,” Marinette sighed as Chloe finally loosened the tension in her shoulders and turned around.

“You okay?” She asked, pulling Marinette into a tight hug.

“Yeah, I’m fine. What about you?” Mari countered, pulling back to look her in the eye.

“I’m used to it, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be. I won’t let anyone talk to you like that,” She said with a genuine smile that Marinette returned.

“Thanks. I’ve got your back too,” She replied, linking her arm through Chloe’s and tugging her along toward the bakery.

So long as they had each other, there was nothing they couldn’t take on with ease, and Marinette pushed aside all of her worries. None of it mattered anyway just like Alya said. They were happy, and no one else was going to ruin that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My goal for this chapter was to present them as a fiercely loyal power couple, so hopefully I did that justice. Marinette and Chloe are actually very similar personality-wise, so I think if they could put their differences aside they could take over the world. 
> 
> Two chapters left! I can’t believe this is almost over, but the next chapter is gonna be pure fluff with a little bit of pining, so get some salty chips to balance the sweetness when you read Thursday’s chapter.
> 
> Also, someone asked me if Alya was going to show up again, and like?? I guess? She’s not really the focus of this story, more of just a background moral support type character for Marinette, so I will include her when necessary?
> 
> Anyway, follow me on tumblr (purincess-chat) for all kinds of Miraculous shenanigans. I take small prompt suggestions from time to time in my asks, so if you want me to write something for you just hit me up! Also be sure to click my username for more things that I’ve written if you need something else while you wait for Thursday’s chapter, and be sure to leave me a comment telling me what you thought of this update, and I’ll see you all again really soon!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sleepover fluff and a little pining

Chapter 14

Chloe fidgeted nervously outside the Dupain-Cheng’s door, hand raised above the doorbell where it stayed frozen. Over her shoulder was a large overnight bag, and she was already dressed in her yellow silk pajama bottoms and an ‘I Heart Ladybug’ tank top. She and Marinette had come a long way as friends, but Marinette’s invitation to have a sleepover at her house had still caught her unawares as she’d never actually been to a sleepover before. Sure, Sabrina had spent the night at the hotel a few times, but Chloe had never actually slept over at anyone else’s house before. It was a little unnerving which is why her finger hesitated over the buzzer.

Despite knowing she had nothing to worry about, Chloe’s stomach still fluttered with tiny butterflies, a common phenomenon she experienced around Marinette as of late which was strange considering they were getting along well. All of a sudden she wanted Marinette to look at her more, compliment her, laugh at her jokes, listen to her complain about how boring school was… She wanted Marinette to notice her more than usual, and she herself noticed Marinette more and more each day. The way her eyes squint when she smiles, the way she sticks her tongue out a little when she focuses really hard, how her eyes shine when they look at her. The melodic tone of her laugh, those tiny little freckles dotted across her nose and cheeks. Chloe felt her face warm and wondered if she was coming down with something.

Finally summoning her courage, she pressed the doorbell, her heart beat accelerating as it sounded overhead, and she heard the shuffle of feet growing louder as they approached. When Marinette answered, she felt her stomach do one neat somersault as her friend’s face lit up expectantly. Her smile was so radiant, and Chloe wondered when Marinette had gotten so breathtakingly beautiful. There was nothing special about her in that moment. She was dressed in faded pink shorts and a white V-neck, her hair slightly disheveled from the day, but for some reason in that moment, she was more beautiful than Chloe had ever seen her.

“You okay?” Marinette asked, her eyebrows knitting together in concern as she tilted her head to the side ever-so-slightly.

“I- yes!” Chloe nodded firmly, swallowing heavily. Marinette eyed her for a moment before stepping aside and gesturing her in.

“Welcome to house-o-Dupain-Cheng,” She said, shutting the door behind them as Chloe glanced around. She’d been inside the house before, but it felt different after hours. Marinette’s parents were tidying up the kitchen when Chloe paused at the base of the stairs to Marinette’s room and awaited further instruction.

“Hello, Chloe,” Mrs. Cheng greeted, glancing up as she stooped to place a plate in the dishwasher. “Nice to have you over.”

“Oh, um, yeah, thank you for having me,” She replied, clutching the straps on her shoulder nervously.

“We’ll be up in my room,” Marinette announced, slipping past her and climbing up a few steps.

“Let us know if you girls need anything, and don’t stay up too late!” Mr. Dupain called as Chloe followed her the rest of the way up.

Chloe’s heart jolted a little as she climbed through the trap door, and she became immensely aware that she was surrounded by the very essence of Marinette. Everything in the room were things Marinette touched every day, and Chloe began to wonder what sort of things Marinette did when she wasn’t around

“You can set your stuff down on the chaise.” Marinette’s voice broke her trance, and she shook herself slightly before quickly shrugging off her bag and setting it down gently on the floor. “So, what do you wanna do first?”

“What do you mean?” Chloe fidgeted slightly before clasping her hands in front of her.

“Well, do you want to watch a movie or paint each other’s nails or braid each other’s hair, we could talk about hot guys or -?” She rattled off, eyeing Chloe for a response.

“Um, I dunno. I’ve never actually really been to one of these,” She admitted, rocking back on her heels.

“You and Sabrina never had sleepovers?” Marinette gaped in disbelief.

“Well, sometimes she would stay over to do my homework, or we’d just sit on our phones all night until we went to bed…” She rubbed the back of her neck guiltily. “I’ve never done all of the cliché stuff they do in movies.”

“Well, this changes everything. We’ve got to do it all. Give you the full, cliché girls’ sleepover package,” She said, pacing over to her desk purposefully and rifling through her drawers. “We’ll start with hair, and we can talk about hot people while we’re at it.”

“Okay,” Chloe mumbled softly, spine stiffening as Marinette approached her with a brush and baggie of hair ties and bobby pins.

“You want to go first?” She cocked a brow, and Chloe felt the meaning of those words spark across her skin like tiny little pin pricks.

“Yeah, go ahead,” She said with a permissive nod, carefully tugging her hair out of its pony tail.

Marinette crawled onto the chaise and patted the space in front of her for Chloe to sit, and she sank down stiffly. Carefully, Marinette began to brush through her hair, and Chloe felt the prickling sensation move up her arms to her neck, intensifying everywhere she touched. Her hands were gentle and precise as she began weaving a fishtail braid down Chloe’s back, and Chloe closed her eyes, savoring the electricity of her touch quietly until she finally spoke.

“So, do you have your eye on anyone?” Marinette asked without stopping her hands, and Chloe’s face darkened three shades of red.

“What?” She squawked. “I don’t – at least not, what I mean is, um…”

“Who is it?” Marinette giggled scandalously.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Chloe insisted. “Who do _you_ like?”

“I don’t really have my eye on anyone right now,” She admitted with a shrug, tying off the braid.

“Me either!” Chloe blurted, turning around to face her though she quickly found Marinette to be adorned with a smug grin.

“Tell me,” She ordered.

“It’s no one.” Chloe blushed, fidgeting with the pillow in her lap.

“Tell me,” Marinette repeated, jabbing her side, and Chloe flinched away.

“No!” She squealed, gripping the pillow tightly and lashing out with it. She gasped as it collided with Marinette’s shoulder, cupping a hand over her mouth in shock. Marinette’s jaw clenched as she reached behind her to grab the other pillow, a challenging grin creeping over her face.

“Who is it?” She cooed, swatting Chloe with her pillow.

“I said it’s no one!” Chloe whined, standing up to evade the onslaught of gentle smacks, but Marinette followed.

“I think you’re lying,” She giggled, and Chloe struck once more.

“I’m not!” She insisted, face flushing.

“Your cheeks say otherwise.”

“Marinette!” She cried as they playfully exchanged blows before covering her face and squealing into her pillow as Marinette cackled beside her. “I don’t want to talk about it!”

“That’s fair,” Marinette caved, ceasing her assault and tossing the pillow back at her chaise. Chloe slowly lowered hers only to meet Marinette’s taunting gaze.

“Shut up,” Chloe grumbled, chucking her pillow as well.

“I’ll get it out of you some day,” She determined with a smirk.

“Let’s do something else. Like a movie?” Chloe said, steering the subject elsewhere.

“Okay,” Marinette relented, skipping cheerfully back down the stairs to the living room.

The movie was a good distraction, and neither of them talked much during it which gave Chloe plenty of time to think. Why did she feel so flustered by that question? And why did Marinette’s casual denial sink her stomach like a rock? The answer was obvious, and she knew it though she felt horrified to admit it even to herself. How hyperaware she was of Marinette’s every move these days, how even dressed in rags, she was still beautiful enough to take Chloe’s breath away. She couldn’t believe she was actually confirming it, but sitting so close to her and longing to reach out and take her hand only cemented it further.

Chloe Bourgeois was in love with Marinette.

She wasn’t sure when or how it happened, but somewhere over the course of several months, all that time they’d spent together finally caught up with her. Maybe it was the attention Marinette paid her or the unconditional care and concern she showed constantly, but something about her made Chloe feel warm and safe. Like she could be her best self without being ridiculed or judged for it. Marinette was home, and as they both crawled into Marinette’s bed at the end of the night, she felt that familiar warmth spread across her cheeks.

“Hey, Marinette,” She started softly as Marinette settled down.

“Yeah?” She whispered, her face only mere inches from Chloe.

“I…” She felt those tiny words just on the tip of her tongue, hanging on tightly and refusing to pass her lips. Something in her felt a little afraid to admit it out loud, at least, for now, so she shifted her pillow a little and tucked her arm underneath it. “Good night.”

“Good night, Chloe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That got really gay really quickly. You’re welcome. 
> 
> One chapter remains! At least for this portion of the story. If you follow me on tumblr you’ll see all the little hints that I’ve been dropping today and the pun-off that me and Perdita had. I’m still in the very early planning stages of a sequel, so I’ll be releasing more details on it when I have them, but once I finish this up on Monday, I will be taking a break from this for a little while to work on some other things, so the sequel probably won’t even start until mid-August at the earliest. 
> 
> But don’t fret! In the meantime I’ll be working on plenty of other things including my college AU, my Lilanette story, Ladrien summer, some exchanges and other challenges; I’ll be starting up my Pirate AU in July as well as a Chlolya/RoyalFox fic at the end of July, so I think the time will fly by for you guys if you check out some of those.
> 
> As always, leave me a comment letting me know what you think, and follow me on tumblr (purrincess-chat) for some of those sequel hints and other Miraculous Ladybug content, and I will see you all on Monday with the conclusion to this story!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

It was a well-known fact that everything Marinette owned was pink. Every design she made for herself was pink, and pink dominated every inch of her bedroom. It’s why when she sat to design a dress for the upcoming school dance, she found it increasingly odd that she kept reaching for yellow. Every dress she sketched somehow ended up yellow instead of pink, and she realized after several pages that these dresses weren’t meant for her at all. In fact, as she designed each one, she found her mind wandering to a certain blonde who would look excellent in them. Cinched waist-lines, ball gowns, flowing skirts all tailored to fit one girl’s shape, and it wasn’t until she flipped back through her work that Marinette realized this and felt her cheeks warm.

It was silly of her to do. Chloe had likely already bought a designer dress to wear to the dance, so she wasn’t even sure why she was wasting her time with them, but once she started, she couldn’t exactly stop. Because she _wanted_ to design a dress for her which wasn’t out of the ordinary. She designed outfits for her friends all the time, so it was only a matter of time before she designed one for Chloe. It meant nothing, though picturing Chloe _wearing_ her dresses did bring a blush to her cheeks that she couldn’t quite explain. Chloe was pretty, a fact she used to resent when her behavior was so ugly, but now that things had smoothed out between them, it was a fact that often kept her distracted.

Ever since their sleepover two weeks prior, Chloe had been acting strange around her. Her hands lingered just a little bit longer over Marinette’s when she passed her a cup of coffee - which made her extremely flustered each time she realized, and more often than not, Marinette caught her staring at her from across a room… Something had changed in her that night, and Marinette had to wonder what she’d wanted to say before they went to bed. She hadn’t pressed the issue because Chloe seemed nervous about it, but she often wondered if it had to do with her new behavior. What was running through her friend’s mind?

When she arrived at school, Chloe was waiting by her locker, and she turned to Marinette as she passed, clasping her hands together in front of her and rocking slightly on her heels. It was evident that something was on her mind, so Marinette finally decided to ask as she opened her locker.

“What’s up?” She cocked a brow as Chloe shifted her weight a little.

“Well, the school dance is coming up, and I was wondering if…you wanted to go dress shopping with me,” She said carefully, cheeks lightly flushed, but she quickly cleared her throat and added, “I like having second opinions.”

“Oh, uh, sure.” Marinette pursed her lips as she removed her sketchbook from her backpack and eyed it thoughtfully. “Actually, I was planning to make a dress for myself, and I may have made a few designs for you. If you’re interested…”

“You’re making a dress for me?” Chloe gasped, eyebrows shooting up in surprise as Marinette averted her gaze down to her feet shyly.

“I thought you could wear it to the dance, but you don’t have to if you’d rather buy a name brand.” She winced, tracing circles in the ground with her foot.

“I’d love to wear your brand, Marinette,” Chloe said, placing her hands over Marinette’s and offering her a warm smile. “I’d be honored.”

“Really?” Marinette glanced up, a smile spreading across her face.

“Absolutely. Can I see the designs?” She asked, nodding at the book in her hands and Marinette fumbled to flip it open to the proper page. Chloe’s eyes scanned over them thoughtfully for a moment before they flicked back up to meet her gaze. “They’re all so pretty. You really designed these for me?”

“Y-Yeah.” Marinette nodded, admiring her art. “If you pick one you like, I can take your measurements after school and get right to work.”

“Thank you,” Chloe said, sounding sincerely touched. “They’re really all great, Marinette, but I think I like this yellow and grey one the most.” Marinette followed her finger to the dress in question and smiled.

“I like that one too,” She said before shutting her sketchpad and shoving it in her locker. “I’m so excited! I can’t wait to get started!”

“Don’t overwork yourself. I’m not worth it,” Chloe chided as they headed for class.

“No way! We’re friends, so I’m going to finish it in time,” Marinette vowed, and Chloe let out a breathy laugh.

“If you say so.”

Something about Chloe’s acceptance put her in high-spirits, and her hands were itching to get to her sewing machine and start on the dress. She’d make sure it was her best work because Chloe would be wearing it, and she wanted it to be perfect. She glanced down to where Chloe was sitting next to Sabrina on the front row and felt a small smile curl on her lips. The school dance couldn’t get there fast enough.

-           -           -

Chloe was on cloud nine as days past knowing that Marinette was hard at work on a dress just for her. Every day she glanced anxiously at her phone awaiting the call that it was finished so she could see it. Not that she was worried because Marinette always made quality work, but she spent her time waiting and wondering what Marinette thought of her. If she designed her a dress, that meant she liked her, right? But did she like her in the same way that Chloe did was a question that often kept her up at night. Since the sleepover, Chloe had been a nervous wreck, constantly afraid that Marinette was going to discover her true feelings and reject her, and in thinking about the dress, she agonized over what it meant for them. After so many years of torment, becoming her friend was already a miracle, and Chloe wasn’t counting on another.

A few days before the dance, Chloe’s phone finally rang, and she rushed to Marinette’s house eagerly. Her friend seemed surprised by her swift arrival but ushered her up the stairs to her bedroom where the mannequin with her dress stood concealed beneath a single sheet. Chloe glanced at Marinette, bouncing impatiently as she carefully pulled back the cloth to reveal Chloe’s very own custom, one-of-a-kind, Marinette-brand dress. Her jaw slackened, and she cupped a hand over her mouth to hide her gape.

“Marinette, it’s beautiful!” She croaked as a hard lump wedged its way into her throat. “Thank you!”

“Would you like to try it on?” Marinette offered after Chloe pulled her into a tight hug. Unable to speak, she simply nodded against Marinette’s shoulder and pulled back. She felt a little embarrassed as Marinette helped her into the dress, but it fit like a glove, and Chloe spent five whole minutes admiring herself in the mirror.

“So, do you like it?” Marinette asked nervously, rocking back on her heels.

“I love it,” Chloe breathed, shaking her head and turning toward Marinette. “It’s the best dress in the world.”

“I mean, I’m sure you could have found a better one in the store, but I’m proud of it.” She adjusted some of the tulle, unable to keep her hands still until Chloe took them in her own.

“It’s the best because it came from _you_ , Marinette,” She murmured, gaze softening as their eyes locked. They each looked away quickly, cheeks rose-tinted and lips curved into shy smiles.  Chloe glanced back up, heart beat threatening to pound out of her chest as she sucked in a deep breath. “Marinette, I want to tell you something…”

“What is it?” She asked, eyes searching Chloe’s wildly as if she already knew the words she was about to say next.

“I-”

“Is everyone decent? Can we see?” Mrs. Cheng called, cutting her short, and Chloe ripped her hands from Marinette’s to cover her burning face.

“Uh, yeah, Mom,” Marinette replied, clearing her throat.

“Oh, look how beautiful!” Mrs. Cheng gasped as she made her way up. “You’ve really outdone yourself, Marinette.”

Chloe glanced back down at the dress and ran her hands over it delicately, spinning when asked, though her mind was dizzy enough already. She’d almost said it. A few more moments, and Marinette would have known how she felt. The thought of it made her chest tighten, but in a strange way, she wanted it to be said. But it wasn’t the right moment, so she would just have to wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, some things happened, and I decided to extend this fic by a couple more chapters. The good news is I already have the last one basically written minus a little connecting piece for the last scene. Thus, I will be extending this another week. Chapter 16 will go up on Thursday and Chapter 17 will go up on Monday. I’m sure you all won’t complain.
> 
> I thought I could make the finale just one big chapter, but there was a lot going on, and it was getting long, and I felt like I was rushing somethings, so I just decided to split it up and make it all flow a bit better. So, hopefully you’re all not upset.
> 
> Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter! We’re getting into the mutual pining territory now. I pretty much have wanted to write school dance scenes since they made the webisode where Marinette designs her dress. Everyone who knows stuff about France always screams that there are no school dances in France, but webisodes are canon and they mentioned it, so FIGHT ME! Also, for those wondering, Marinette and Chloe’s dresses are based off the dolls they released where they both have on dresses in case you guys want a visual, just search Jeremy Zag’s Instagram or google it, I’m sure you’ll find them if you haven’t already seen them.  
> See you guys Thursday!


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Marinette sat in her desk chair, absentmindedly scribbling on a sheet of paper with a dreamy smile on her lips. Chloe actually liked her dress, and something about the look on her face left Marinette soaring. It’s the way she felt when Adrien wore her scarf to school, that same airy feeling. Nothing else mattered to her in that moment, and she was fortunate that Tikki was more levelheaded.

“Weren’t you supposed to meet Chat Noir for a patrol?” She asked, prodding Marinette’s arm.

“Hmm?” Marinette blinked out of her daze. “Oh, yeah…”

“You’ve been really out of it lately,” Tikki said pointedly, cocking a brow. “More so than usual.”

“Sorry, Tikki. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just feel really happy for some reason. Lately, all I want to do is see Chloe and make her smile,” She replied softly.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were in love with her, Marinette,” Tikki giggled teasingly, and Marinette felt her cheeks flush.

“I haven’t really thought about it before. I used to get crushes on all kinds of people when I was little, but I guess I never realized that I felt _that_ way about them,” She said thoughtfully. “But I guess…in a way, it does feel like when I was in love with Adrien. I don’t get all stuttery and nervous, but seeing her makes me feel really happy, and I want to do my best to make sure she feels happy too.” She turned to her kwami with a puzzled frown. “Do you really think I’m in love with her?”

“What does your heart tell you?” Tikki asked, patting the spot on her chest over her heart, and Marinette leaned back, pursing her lips.

“Before that news scandal, I never would have thought of being friends with Chloe, but when I was helping her, something just felt right. We finally stopped fighting, and sort of got over everything. Now I can’t imagine my life without her…” Her voice trailed off as Tikki gave her a smug grin. “Shut up!” Her kwami nuzzled her blushing cheeks as she squealed in excitement.

“You do love her!” She cheered.

“We’re late for a patrol...” Marinette insisted, clearing her throat and standing up, and even as she transformed, Tikki wore that sly grin all the way into her earrings. Her crime-fighting partner was waiting atop their designated roof, and he smiled when she landed a few feet from him.

“You seem to be in high-spirits tonight, m’lady,” He remarked, observing her smile that she couldn’t keep back before kissing her hand.

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind. Happy things,” She said.

“Thinking about a special someone?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and she chuckled in reply.

“Yes, as a matter of fact,” She admitted, entertaining his antics for once. His ears perked up in intrigue.

“Oh? What’s he like? Is he better looking than me?” He flexed his lean biceps, and she suppressed an eye roll.

“Yeah. _She_ is.” He paused and glanced at her with wide eyes, ears drooping slightly.

“She?” His lips formed a tight line as she stepped onto the ledge.

“Come on, kitty. We’ve got a city to look after,” She called over her shoulder before tossing her yoyo and leaping down into the bustle of the city below. Chat Noir stood shocked for a whole minute before shaking himself and following after her. He was hard pressed to keep up with her as she moved enthusiastically from roof to roof, filled with energy from her newly-discovered feelings. Being in love was a rush that she wanted to ride forever, and she was determined to confess her feelings to Chloe soon.

“So, you only like girls?” Chat asked carefully after their patrol.

He seemed genuinely curious, and Ladybug figured that discussing it might help her learn more about it herself. It was all new and exciting, albeit a little scary, but she was confident that Chloe’s behavior marked that her affections weren’t one-sided. She sank down on the roof, swinging her feet over the edge then folded her arms contemplatively over her chest as she watched the citizens passing in the streets, and Chat plopped down beside her.

“I like… _people_.” She tested the word, tilting her head to the side as she considered it then looked back at him. “Regardless of what they are, I think, I’ve always liked people. Girls and boys. To me, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.”

“So, this girl that you like is a beautiful person?” She considered it for a long moment before answering.

“I’ve seen her grow as a person. She wasn’t always the greatest, but she’s been getting better, and I think who she’s becoming is someone beautiful, yeah,” She said, offering him a small shrug. “It’s all kind of new to me. Up until tonight, I hadn’t really considered that my feelings for her had moved beyond friendship, but they have, and I’m…excited and terrified, but I think she loves me too.”

“Of course she does,” Chat chuckled, nudging her with his elbow. “You’re incredible, and she’s lucky to have you.”

“You think so?” She smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder as they gazed out at the traffic below them.

“I know so.”

 “You’re actually the first person I’ve told besides my kwami, and it means a lot that you support me,” She murmured.

“Well, we’re friends, right? Isn’t that what friends do?” He gave her a kind smile, and she bit back one of her own, shifting her gaze down to her lap. “I’ll always be there to support you when you need it. You can count on me.”

“Thanks, kitty.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I needed a scene where she discusses her feelings with Chat for reasons. You’ll see at the end of next chapter which should (hopefully) be the last one! I’ve already got a good chunk of it written because it was originally the second half of last chapter, so all I have left to write in it is a transition sequence that kind of combines the last two bits then editing. It’s already almost 2000 words without that though, so hopefully it makes up for this shorter chapter.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts in the comments! Also, any guesses about the secret last minute pairing I’m gonna throw in at the end? It’ll have more attention in the sequel, but I’ll be introducing it as the last part of this fic. I’ll give you a hint: they’re two important characters. (in other words, not background characters, though they have kind of been in this fic)
> 
> I’m working on tweaking my summer schedule cause in case you all haven’t noticed, I’m a bit behind on somethings if you actually saw the calendar I posted on tumblr. I’ve been working a lot and have been a little burnt out, but my boss is coming back on Monday (I’ve been in charge in her absence) so a lot of that stress will be relieved, so hopefully I can get back into things. (Also, don’t worry, I haven’t been neglecting taking care of myself cause I get plenty of sleep, water, and food, I’ve just been working a lot).
> 
> I’ll see you guys on Monday with the actual finale, but if that’s too far away feel free to click my username and pull up my other works to read in the meantime and follow me on tumblr for updates, sneak peaks, and other Miraculous content!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end...for now.

Chapter 17

For the next several days, Chloe kept the dress out in the open in her room, holding it up to herself in the mirror every so often to admire how it looked on her. When the day of the dance finally arrived, she slipped it on carefully and looked at the finished look in the mirror one last time. Seeing it gave her butterflies every time knowing that Marinette’s hands had crafted it in her honor, and she determined to tell her how she felt that night. No matter what, she was going to say it.

_I love you._

Just thinking about it made her heart skip a beat, but she wanted her to know. Because if Marinette felt the same way, they could be happy together, and Chloe would finally have someone love her for her. Someone who could keep her in line when she was being ridiculous, and who would’t be afraid to speak their mind to her. Marinette had already helped her so much, and Chloe wanted to make up for all those years by showing her that she could be loving and kind.

“Mademoiselle, it is time to leave,” Her butler announced.

Chloe took a deep breath and followed him out. She could do this. Marinette was kind and wonderful and endearing. She made the very dress Chloe was wearing just for her, and if that didn’t mean something then Chloe wasn’t sure what did.

When Chloe arrived at the school, several pairs of eyes flicked to her as she strutted up the front steps. It was something she had grown used to in her life. Envious stares used to be her lifeblood, but knowing her dress was made by the woman she loved only made her hold her head higher with pride. Several students were crowded around the courtyard, some dancing in the center, others off to the sides chatting amongst themselves. She scanned the room for her little black-haired angel, and picked her out talking to Juleka and Rose near the locker rooms. She wore a flowing pink and white polka-dotted dress with her hair down around her shoulders, and Chloe thought back to the dinner party. It was the first time she’d noticed, or fully allowed herself to admit, that Marinette was pretty, and though her makeup was subtler tonight, she was still radiant as ever.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she approached them, her stomach performing small somersaults in excitement as she pictured slow-dancing with her. Tonight was the night that would change everything, and Chloe was confident that Marinette would return her feelings. Or rather, she couldn’t bear the thought that she didn’t. The only thing standing in her way was a group of underclassmen all clamoring excitedly and casting longing looks toward Marinette. _Her_ Marinette.

“Should I ask her?” One boy in particular murmured in a hushed tone.

“Yeah, dude! Marinette is super nice. I mean, she made Chloe less of a nightmare and hangs out with her even after she was all mean, so she’ll say yes for sure.” One of his buddies encouraged.

“Dude, shh!” They all glanced nervously up at Chloe, whose jaw clenched a little. Before she could think better of it, she turned to them and folded her arms over her chest with an icy glare.

“You think Marinette would wanna dance with you? Puh-lease. She has way better taste than you losers,” She sneered.

“You just can’t stand when all the attention isn’t on you, can you? You haven’t changed a bit,” The first boy grunted coldly before he and his buddies all stalked off, and Chloe felt her stomach drop.

Why did she have to open her mouth? She was so past the stupid jealousy phase, but thinking of Marinette being with someone else just made her feel so afraid. Now her stomach was churning for a whole different reason. Maybe she hadn’t changed that much.

“Hey!” Marinette pinched her sides from behind, a giddy smile brightening her features. “You look so amazing!”

“Thanks, so do you,” Chloe said, feeling grateful for the dim lighting that concealed her blush. “I’m really happy that you made this for me. I love it.”

“That makes me happy to hear! I was really nervous that you wouldn’t like it…” She admitted, rubbing the back of her neck.

“I would have loved anything from you, Marinette,” She said, taking her hands. They both glanced down at them in surprise, and Marinette’s gaze flicked back up to hers. “Actually, I-I want to tell you something-”

“Hey, Marinette!” It was that stupid underclassman again, and Chloe suppressed a sigh.

“Oh, hi, Julien, right?” Marinette tilted her head to the side a little and smiled politely. Chloe never bothered to learn most of the student’s names, but Marinette literally knew everyone in school. With so many other options, it was a long shot if she returned Chloe’s feelings, but she wasn’t giving up yet.

“So, will you dance with me?” He asked shyly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Aww, I’d-”

“Actually, we were trying to have a conversation, if you don’t mind,” Chloe snapped, giving him a cold glare, a look he returned as his shoulders tensed up.

“Chloe,” Marinette chided, giving her a disapproving frown.

“What’s your problem?” Julien hissed in annoyance. “I just want to dance with her. What are you her bodyguard?”

“No, I-”

“You’ve been hogging all of her attention because you can’t get it from us anymore, but can you at least spare her for five minutes? You don’t own her, ya know.” He continued, taking a step toward her and forcing her a step back. “You haven’t changed that much at all.”

“You don’t know anything about me!” Chloe shot back, louder than she intended. Their commotion was drawing a crowd, and she glanced around anxiously at hundreds of eyes staring accusingly at her, the most hurtful pair belonging to Marinette.

Of course she should have known better. Marinette could never love someone like her. Not after everything she’d done. She really was just a monster in everyone’s eyes, and as several mocking stares watched her every move, she glanced up to meet their gazes head on, holding her head high.

“Marinette and I don’t have the greatest history, but she’s one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. She forgave me even though I probably didn’t deserve it, and she made me this beautiful dress…” She ran her hands over it fondly then turned to the girl standing only a meter from her. “And I know she’ll never feel the same way about me, but, for what it’s worth, I’m in love with her, and I want her to know that.” Marinette’s eyes widened in shock, and the room fell silent. “I love you.” She shrugged, and Marinette carried an expression she couldn’t quite read as her gaze sank to the floor. Slowly, Chloe turned and headed for the door, tears welling in her eyes with each step until a gentle scolding voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Do you honestly think that I would have spent three weeks making you that dress if I didn’t love you?” She said, folding her arms over her chest and giving Chloe a playful smirk before turning to the crowd gathered around them. “Chloe Bourgeois is far from perfect, but who in this room isn’t? When Chloe asked me for help, I will admit that I felt the same way a lot of you do at first. Because there was no way that Chloe could ever learn to be nice, but I was wrong. Chloe has worked hard all on her own to make up for her past and build a better future not only for herself but for others. I was just there to push her in the right direction. She continues to surprise me every day with how much she’s grown and how much she continues to grow, and I’m extremely proud of who she’s become.” Chloe cupped a hand over her mouth as Marinette approached her, tears streaming down her cheeks despite how desperately she tried to hold them back. “Call me crazy or fake or whatever you want to call me, but I love her.” She placed her hands on Chloe’s shoulders, her eyes full of warmth and affection. “I love _you_ , Chloe.”

“I love you too,” She blubbered, stepping into Marinette’s tight embrace and bawling pathetically into her shoulder.

The room was quiet for several heart beats until a few quiet claps sounded from the back which gradually grew in number until the crowd around them all applauded in unison. A very distinct voice shouted, “Kiss her!” from the back, and Marinette knew beyond a doubt that it came from Alya. Still, she wasn’t one to miss an opportunity, so she pulled Chloe closer and crushed her lips against hers firmly which gained them a few whistles from their classmates, and they both pulled back with pink cheeks and breathy laughs as their fingers twined together.

“Alright, I think it’s time we stop living in the past and start celebrating the now! Let’s get this party back on track!” Nino cheered through the mic as an upbeat song started playing over the speakers, and the crowd dispersed. Marinette gave Chloe’s hands a gentle squeeze as their eyes remained locked on each other, and Julien stalked off with his buddies grumpily. Never in her life could she have ever pictured this moment, but it was one she would remember forever.

“Wanna dance with me?” She asked with a warm smile that Chloe returned.

“I’d love to.”

Marinette’s fingers stayed locked in hers as they bounced to the beat, and Chloe’s nerves began to melt away. Things hadn’t gone exactly how she planned, but she was grateful that Marinette loved her back because as it turned out, love was all it took to tame a queen.

 

Bonus Epilogue:

Alya watched her best friend swaying happily in the arms of her blonde lover from afar, a small smile on her lips. It was certainly an outcome she hadn’t expected, but seeing them pressed together on the dance floor, lost in each other’s eyes with dopey love-struck smiles was more than enough reasoning for her. They were happy, and that’s what truly mattered.

“Who would have thought, huh?” She turned to see Adrien standing just behind her also watching the couple dancing.

“Definitely not me,” Alya admitted with a laugh.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Chloe look this happy. Marinette will be good for her,” Adrien remarked, a sad smile sinking his features, but he recovered quickly, though not quick enough for Alya not to take notice.

“Don’t think I didn’t see that,” She said pointedly, giving him a stern look when he opened his mouth to protest.

“I’m fine. Just seems like all the girls I like end up…liking girls. First Ladybug, now Marinette-”

“Whoa, what about Ladybug?” Alya cut him off and turned to face him.

“Uh, n-nothing,” He insisted.

“Ladybug’s a lesbian?” Alya gasped, and Adrien winced. “Come on, pretty boy. We’re going to dance, and you’re going to spill the dirty deets.”

“I don’t really know that much- okay!” He yelped as Alya grabbed his wrist and tugged him onto the dancefloor. What had he gotten himself into?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is! It’s done! Finally! Against all odds! It’s not exactly how I wanted it, but it’s okay. A lot longer than I initially thought, and if I would have left it all together it would have been super long cause I was planning an akuma for that kid and then Ladybug would mentioned to Chat that she liked girls while they were fighting (and he inevitably tried to flirt with her while doing so) which would have made the ending make sense, but I decided to split it up, as you noticed, so there.
> 
> Also, I’m dedicating this to the anon that got pissy with me over school dance scenes on tumblr. I don’t see what’s wrong about including them if canon mentioned them, so fight me.
> 
> So, that ending is the beginning of a beautiful, Ladybug obsessed relationship that I will go deeper into in the sequel which I probably won’t be starting for a while cause I have a lot of other stuff planned for this summer too, and in case you don’t follow me on tumblr, I have some personal family stuff going on, so I’m going to take at least the rest of this week to kind of deal with all that and work on my exchange piece cause that’s due in a couple weeks, so I’m taking a mini-hiatus probably just until July at the latest. I could be back sooner, just depends.  
> All that being said, I hope you all enjoyed this fic. It was definitely a ride from start to finish for me. As with most of my fics, there are things that I really like about it and things I would change were I to rewrite it, but it’s just another thing under my belt to learn from. Leave me a comment with your thoughts, click my username for other things that I’ve written, follow me on tumblr (purincess-chat), and I will see you lovelies later.


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